Homemade Chai Tea
Enjoy the exotic flavor of Chai Tea without leaving the comfort of your own home with this easy recipe courtesy of Splenda. We first enjoyed a cup of Chai Tea at an Indian restaurant, following a delicious curry dinner. We loved it immediately, and it wasn’t a typical menu choice as many Western restaurants (and we were in the mecca of international restaurants at the time, in California).
It was a full decade before we saw Chai Tea offered in popular coffee houses — as a concentrate used by baristas. A “chai syrup” if you will. Oh no — no, no. It wasn’t chai at all, it was a kiddie drink version of the spicy tea drink we loved.
We once remarked to a friend that we were on the hunt for a chai tea recipe and she actually linked us to the popular boxed concentrate used by these same baristas. We tried not to be snide or rude when we pointed out that if she thought that was chai — she hadn’t actually tried Chai Tea. She needed to trust us. Once you’ve had Chai Tea brewed from your own tea with actual spices, you’ll understand why those sugary boxed concentrates just won’t do.
Ingredients
- 3 slices peeled fresh ginger
- 3 packets Splenda Granulated Sweetener (1 gram each)
- 12 black peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 3 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 cups water
- 2 Darjeeling tea bags
- 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
Instructions
- Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Add teabags, cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove spices and tea bags with a slotted spoon and discard.
- Add milk and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Do not boil.
- Serve immediately.
Spa Index Kitchen Notes
Nutrition
Not quite traditional but far and away better than those horrid pre-made mixes at Starbucks!
Delicious. Truly enjoyed it.
Favorite chai memory. I had to serve on jury duty in a downtown city and the only restaurant that was open, every single day, and seldom had a line, was this hole int he wall Indian restaurant. I’d get a few fast things to eat, and the owner always beckoned me to help myself to Chai tea from a big steel urn he had — one of those industrial coffee makers, and a stack of styrofoam cups. It was blustery and raining and what the heck, I was cold. The urn and styrofoam cups didn’t bode well, but — I was cold and it was raining. Hard. So I helped myself to a cup, which he said was compimentary, and I took a sip while he prepared my to-go order. I looked up in such surprise, and the look on my face must have been evident. “This is real Chai! It’s so delicious!” He beamed and nodded. Yes, yes. Of course it’s real. He said “You come every day for tea. Free. You don’t have to buy food. Just come have tea every day if you like it.” I did — every day of jury duty and many times after that. I almost always bought food, and when I didn’t, I’d leave him a nice tip in his jar even though he always waved my hand away. He was such a delightful man and that tea was so delightful. So yeah, I get your disgust at Tazo Syrup. It is just like ordering Chocoalte Granace and being served Hershey’s Syrup. Or like ordering a croissant and being served a Pillsbury Crescent. There is no comparison.
Is that a vague way to way you don’t approve of Tazo Chai at Starbucks? Laughing. Don’t blame you! This tea is greast. If people like chai, they owe it themselves to try a real brewed cup, and not just a sugary mix.
Yes. And yes.