| Recipe: |
Homemade answer to those pricey boxes of Oregon Chai Tea Latte Concentrate and the like. I omitted the black pepper and ginger because I don't care for them. Quite nice!
2 2" cinnamon sticks (5 g)
1 whole star anise pod (0.6 g)
20 green cardamom pods (3.5 g)
2 t whole cloves (4 g)
(3/4 t black peppercorns)
5 c water
1/4 c brown sugar (OR 1/4 c splenda + 1.5 t molasses)
(1 T chopped ginger)
pinch salt
3 T loose black tea (11.5 g)
Crush cinnamon and star anise with a heavy skillet on a cutting board. Put in saucepan. Crush cardamom, cloves, and black pepper (if using) the same way and add to saucepan.
Toast over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Add water, sugar, ginger, and salt**. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover saucepan, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in tea - cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep another 10 minutes. Strain and refrigerate for up to a week.
Mix 1/2 c concentrate with 1/2 c milk. (You can sub a bit of milk for cream if you're feeling decadent... or HOT FROTHY milk to take it to another level). Serve hot or over ice.
**Original recipe made a point of cooking spices for 10 minutes before adding tea leaves to emphasize their flavors. Frankly, I forgot on my first batch and it tasted great to me. It might be WAY better if I'd waited to add the tea... but it surely isn't mission critical. |