Homemade Chai Concentrate Recipe

This is the beverage that has helped cultivate and maintain happiness in our marriage. My husband likes it better than Tazo or Oregon Chai, and it is much cheaper to make. I have learned to buy the dry spices in bulk, measure and bag them in an assembly line for convenience, using either muslin reusable teabags or disposable bags that can be sealed with a hot iron. Tea and spice blends with the recipe attached also makes a wonderful gift. Everything you need should be available at a health food store or online.


Homemade Chai Concentrate Recipe
(makes 1 quart concentrate, enough for 2-3 quarts chai)
1 qt. cold water
1 family size black teabag (or 4 individual black teabags)
2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp. chopped cinn. sticks)
2 tsp. cardamom pods
1 inch piece fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. tea-cut dried ginger)
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
1/3-1/2 c. sugar
Milk

Put water, teabag, cinnamon sticks and ginger in saucepan. Combine cardamom and cloves in teaball, put in pan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. Remove teabag, cinnamon, ginger and spices. Stir in vanilla (optional) and sugar.
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Put spices and tea in teaball (I use large press 'n brew teabags; a drawstring muslin bag also work well) and place them in a quart canning jar. Fill jar with boiling water and let stand (I leave it half an hour or so). Remove tea and spices. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
To store for future use, pour mixture into container and refrigerate. To serve immediately, mix chai with milk in proportion of 1/3-2/3 or 1/2-1/2 . Adjust to taste. Delicious warm or cold.