CHAI - Amazing Chai from Chai Pilgrimage!

Big Batch House Chai #9
Makes 12 cups (about 6-8 servings)



2 teaspoons decorticated (pod removed) cardamom seeds, or 40 green cardamom pods 
9 cups water
1 Ceylon cinnamon stick – 3”
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup freshly grated ginger root
3 cups whole milk
Several saffron strands
2/3 cup Sucanat (or sugar)
2 tablespoons CTC tea (or 6 black tea bags or 4 tablespoons orthodox Assam tealeaves)

Finely grind cardamom in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and set aside.  Add water to medium pot and place on high heat.  Crush cinnamon stick and fennel seeds with mortar and pestle and add to the pot.  Add ginger and stir.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  In large pot, add milk and saffron; place on medium heat.  As soon as the milk starts to simmer, add Sucanat and stir.  When it returns to a simmer, turn off heat and set aside. After spices have simmered in the water 10 minutes, turn off heat. Add tea and cardamom to water, gently stir and cover.  Steep 5 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, pour the spice and tea mixture into the sweet saffron milk.  Stir thoroughly and serve.

Big Batch House Chai #108:

Same as above with the addition of the following: 
1-3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice berries
1/2 teaspoon dried tulsi (available from Ayurvedic herb suppliers like Organic India and Banyan Botanicals.)

Finely grind allspice and clove(s) in a mortar and pestle and add to the water at the beginning with the other spices.  Add the tulsi later with the tea and cardamom.



Chai Guru Chai (a Spicy, Goat Milk Chai)
Makes 8 cups (about 4-6 servings)

6 cups water
1/2 Ceylon cinnamon stick - 1-1/2”
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon  whole allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/3 cup freshly grated ginger root
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups goat milk
several saffron strands
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 
1 teaspoon decorticated (pod removed) cardamom seeds, or 20 green cardamom pods
4 teaspoons CTC tea (or 4 black tea bags)

Stop.  Breathe.  Smile.

Add water to medium pot and place on high heat.  Crush cinnamon stick and add to the pot.  Finely grind peppercorns, allspice and cloves in a mortar and pestle and add.  Add ginger and nutmeg and stir.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  In large pot, add goat milk and saffron and place on medium heat.  As soon as the milk starts to simmer, add maple syrup and stir.  When it returns to a simmer, turn off heat.  Finely grind cardamom in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. After spices have simmered in the water 10 minutes, turn off heat, add tea and cardamom, gently stir and cover.  Steep 5 minutes.  Strain the spice and tea water through a fine-mesh strainer into the sweet saffron milk.  Stir thoroughly, give thanks and serve.

from http://chaipilgrimage.com/pages/chai

Chai Masala Tips

• For the freshest taste, use “cut and sifted” ginger and grind it with the other spices. These dried, chopped-up bits of ginger are available in bulk at natural food or herb stores.
• Use Ceylon cinnamon, which is soft, as the hard cassia cinnamon will not grind easily.
• Powdered spices may be used but will lack the flavor and potency of freshly ground spices.
• A coffee-bean grinder can work instead of a spice grinder, but they tend to be less durable.
• Chai masala can also be used as a garam masala, a warming spice blend used in Indian dishes, and tastes great in hot cereal.
• You can find our "Chalo! Chai" recipe that uses this masala in Chai Pilgrimage.