I love Chai, or spiced tea, especially the home-style kind I learned to make ages ago. It’s sooooo much nicer than the store-bought flavors in part because of its simplicity. Still, there are days when I just don’t have the time or tools to make a good cuppa Simple Chai. That’s when I’m grateful for this syrup blend. It makes even a rather lame cuppa coffee house tea into something special.
You can add other spices to this blend if you like. Consider:
- Star anise
- Fennel
- Black Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried ginger root
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground clove
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cardamon seeds (not the pods)
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 cup (250 ml) sugar or honey (I like brown sugar, but what you have will do)
Equipment
- Measuring tools including spoons and cups
- 1 small pot
- Heat source, such as a stove
- a resealable container large enough to hold the finished product
- 1 dropper bottle or small bottle (2 oz or 30 ml)
- a label
Procedure
- Measure all spices and water into the pot.
- Set the pot on the stove and bring it to a low boil.
- Add the sugar or honey, stirring well.
- Boil for 5-10 minutes, long enough for the volume to reduce by about half to create a reasonably thick syrup.
- Strain the spices from the syrup and discard them or use them in another recipe.
- Pour the syrup into a resealable container and pour some into a small dropper bottle if desired.
- Label the container (and dropper bottle).
Storage and Use
Keep your Chai Masala Syrup in a cool, dark place such as a refrigerator for up to several weeks. I like to keep a smaller dropper bottle handy where I make my tea so it’s easy to use. I top my smaller bottle off only as I use it up so that it doesn’t have a chance to develop a mold or ferment.
Add a small amount to your tea or coffee as desired. Give it a taste and see how strong you like it. I like about a half teaspoon (2 ml) or so for a cup (250 ml) of English Breakfast tea. For stronger teas, I use more and for coffee I use more. It’s all up to how you like your Chai!
