Sticky Chai Tea/Latte Mixture
Recipes for Home and Restaurant
by Nadine Lloyd
Ingredients:
(Makes 1 Jar)
4 cinnamon sticks – broken
¼ cup cardamom pods
8 whole star anise
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
6 whole cloves
1 cup black, or rooibos (red bush) tea leaves
2 teaspoons freshly grated turmeric
2¼ teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
½ cup pure Canadian maple syrup – plus extra if required
2 tablespoons orange (or lemon) peel – thinly sliced
Method:
Preheat a medium-sized non-stick frying pan.
Dry fry the cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, star anise, fennel seeds, and cloves.
Stir continuously until the spices just starts to smoke, (about 1-2 minutes) or just until fragrant.
Be careful not to burn the spice.
Set aside to cool.
Using a medium to large-sized bowl, mix the tea leaves, turmeric, ginger, orange or lemon peel, vanilla, and maple syrup together.
Set aside.
Roughly crush the cooled spices in a mortar and pestle.
Using a firm spatula, stir the crushed spices through the sticky maple tea leaf mixture until fully incorporated.
(Add extra maple syrup to the mixture to get a nice wet sticky consistency.)
Chai tea:
Place 1 teaspoon of sticky chai tea mixture, per cup, into a teapot fitted with a tea strainer.
(The tea pot below makes 5 cups of tea)
Pour boiling water over the mixture and allow to steep for 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot.
(Sweeten with extra maple syrup, or honey, if required)
Chai Latte:
Place 1 quarter cup milk, (almond, oat, or regular of your choice), into a microwave-safe mug.
Heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the milk has warmed through.
Pour the hot chai tea over the milk.
Serve immediately.
(Sweeten with extra maple syrup, or honey, if required)
Storage:
Store in an air-tight jar or glass container.
When sealed and refrigerated, the mixture can last up to two weeks.
