Description
Homemade Chai Concentrate is your ticket to experiencing the comforting warmth of traditional chai tea in the comfort of your own home. This easy recipe combines robust Assam black tea with a fragrant blend of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Enjoy this delightful concentrate as a base for lattes or experiment with creative beverages such as chai smoothies and spiced milkshakes. Perfectly customizable, you can adjust the sweetness to suit your palate, making it an ideal choice for any occasion. Whether you’re cozying up on a chilly afternoon or serving guests at a gathering, this homemade chai concentrate will impress everyone with its rich flavor and versatility.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups filtered water
- 3–4 tablespoons Assam black tea
- 2–3 cinnamon sticks
- 2–3 star anise
- 12 whole cloves
- 8 green cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup chopped ginger root
- Sweeteners: granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, honey (optional), maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Crush the whole spices using a mortar and pestle until coarsely ground.
- Toast the crushed spices in a saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add filtered water, chopped ginger, and ground nutmeg to the saucepan.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for about 5–10 minutes.
- Boil again briefly before removing from heat.
- Stir in loose Assam black tea and steep for 3–5 minutes; avoid over-steeping.
- Strain through a strainer into a glass bowl or pitcher while warm.
- Sweeten to taste with your choice of sweeteners and stir in vanilla extract.
- Allow to cool before transferring to a glass bottle; refrigerate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Brewing
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240ml)
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg