Chai Latte

I am sure you have heard of Starbucks Chai Latte, but little did I know that this warm, spicy, creamy and sweet tea was originated in India.

“Chai” refers to tea and “Masala” is a blend of spices. This rich tea has so much flavor and the best fragrance from the spices that you will want to switch your  morning cup of coffee for a cup of “Chai”.

We all know that Indian cuisine is rich in many different flavors. They explore a variety of herbs, spices that are all rich in nutrients that benefit our health in many different ways. The famous “turmeric” and its active ingredient “curcumin” is rich in phytonutrients that helps the body fight inflammation, improves memory (India has very low rates of Alzheimer’s disease) is also very used in India.

This tea doesn’t fall behind its nutritional value. It contains powerful spices that have been used for hundreds of years. Let’s take a look at the list of spices this tea offers. The most common spices used in Chai are:

Cardamon – a popular herb used as a spice that supports your immune system, naturally detox your body, kill harmful bacteria, improves your sleep, reduces stress.

Cinnamon– this herb is full of health benefits that can help lower your blood sugar and cholesterol, improves your digestive system due to its antimicrobial properties.

Ginger- this is also great for the digestive system by relieving nausea and indigestion. It also provides many benefits for stress, anxiety and inflammation.

The other day, my dear friend from India served up the most delicious authentic Chai. From that moment on this Indian tea became a member of my kitchen.

What’s Chai Latte?

Chai is black tea infused with cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and topped with milk.

To make this recipe healthier, I used coconut sugar instead of sugar. You could also use honey or brown sugar.

If you would like a dairy free latte, you can easily replace the milk for cashew, oat or coconut milk.

How to make Chai Latte?

First you are going to need your favorite black tea, a few green cardamon pods (I used 5), a small stick of cinnamon, and a 2 inch slice of fresh ginger.

In a small saucepan, start by boiling 1 1/2 cups of water. Crush your cardamon pods, remove the skin and crush the seeds.

Add the cardamon seeds, the cinnamon stick and ginger to the pot of boiling water, cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the tea bag and sugar of choice.

Allow it to steep for 5 minutes covered. Then add the milk and simmer a little more until desired temperature.

Strain the tea into your favorite mug and serve hot!