Rosemary Gladstar: Cinnamon Spice Chai Recipe

Invigorating herbs and spices make this tea a whole-body treat.

Illustration by Ash Austin

A delicious tea blend that originated in India, chai has as many recipes as drinkers. Here’s one of my favorite chai recipes. Use it as a warming, energizing tea in the morning, or ice it for a cool afternoon pick-me-up.

Cinnamon Spice Chai

Ingredients:
1 part chopped cinnamon bark
½ part coriander seed
½ part chopped gingerroot
¼ part coarsely ground black peppercorns
¼ part cracked cardamom seeds (put in herb mill and grind quickly)
⅛ part whole cloves
Darjeeling tea (or your own favorite black or green tea)
Honey (to taste)

To make the chai: Combine the cinnamon, coriander, ginger, peppercorns, cardamom, and cloves and mix well. Using 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture per cup of water, simmer the spices for 15 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, add an appropriate amount of Darjeeling (depending on how many servings you’ve brewed), cover, and let steep 5 minutes. Strain, then sweeten to taste with honey.

To use: Drink! I love this tea with frothed milk. It rivals the best latte and offers so much more in health-giving properties.

Recipe excerpted from Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide © 2012 by Rosemary Gladstar. All rights reserved.

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