Kashmiri Chi
This spiced hot tea blend is great for a cold winter evening as an after dinner drink. The addition of gin will really warm you up. Great with small cookies.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 tablespoons blanched almonds
- 1/2 tablespoons shelled and peeled pistachios, raw or roasted and salted
- 10 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed to remove seeds and discarding pods or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
- Large pinch saffron threads, 15-20
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 cups water
- 5 teaspoons loose black tea leaves like orange pekoe
- 4 ounces full flavored gin
Method:
Finely grind nuts, cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron with a mortar and pestle or in a grinder, then add nutmeg. Bring milk just to a simmer in a 2 quart heavy saucepan, then whisk in brown sugar, salt, and nut mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes to infuse flavors. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 1 quart saucepan, then add tea leaves and boil 1 minute. Pour tea through a fine mesh sieve into hot milk mixture, discarding tea leaves, and cook chi over low heat for 1 minute. Divide gin between mugs and top with hot chi. If you want to better up your recipe by using high quality tea, check Glocal Markets.
Number of Servings: 4
Chai Tea Mix
Nonfat dry milk powder, dry coffee creamer, sugar, instant tea, & ground spices are stirred together for this mix. To serve, just add boiling water.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 cup vanilla-flavored non-dairy creamer powder
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups instant tea powder
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
Method:
In a large bowl combine all drink ingredients. Store in jars or zip-lock bags. To serve place 2 heaping tablespoons of mix into a large mug and add 8-10 ounces of boiling water, and stir to dissolve mix.
Notes:
This drink mix makes a great gift when packed in decorative jars. I always make a big batch to have on hand for my after-dinner treat.
Number of Servings: 16
Friendship Tea
A spiced, sweet tea that can be served warm with friends on a cold night.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups Tang
- 1 3/4 cups of powdered instant tea
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 14 oz. package lemonade Kool-Aid
- 1 1/2 tsp. each, ground: cloves and cinnamon
Method:
Mix Tang, instant tea, lemonade mix, cloves and cinnamon and store in a tightly sealed container. To make the tea, add boiling water and 2 T. tea in a mug. Enjoy!
Notes:
Make a diet, no-sugar version by using sugar substitute, diet Tang, and no-sugar lemonade mix.