Try this Iced Ginger Chai recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 4.94374069648358 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.52110697746978 g
- Fiber 2.73235723473564 g
- Protein 0.533981314163892 g
- Saturated Fat 0.399967539535659 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (482g)
- Sodium 36.960958895996 mg
- Sugar 2.21138346174794 g
- Trans Fat 0.462297745972795 g
- Calories 26 calories
Step-by-step
- Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to boil
- Reduce and leave pot on stove with mixture at a rolling simmer for 30 minutes
- Turn off heat; allow mixture to remain in pot overnight to continue steeping without heat
- Strain mixture into a 1 quart mason jar –you will have between 3-4 cups of chai concentrate
- Fill a glass with ice, 1 cup chai concentrate and ¼ cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
- Add stevia (or agave nectar or honey) to taste (optional)
- Serve
Extended steeping times transform a basic spiced water decoction into a deeply aromatic beverage concentrate. Whole spices require thermal energy and time to release their volatile oils into the surrounding liquid. When simmering the mixture, maintain a rolling bubble for exactly thirty minutes before removing the pot from the burner. Cracking open the cardamom pods with the flat side of a chef knife before they enter the water exposes the tiny seeds inside, allowing the solvent action of the simmering water to penetrate the sticky aromatics more efficiently than leaving the pods intact.
Allowing the brewed concentrate to sit overnight without heat is not merely a convenience, but a necessary resting phase that deepens the extraction without introducing bitterness. Rooibos tea contains very low levels of tannins compared to traditional black tea leaves, which means the prolonged contact with water will not result in the harsh, astringent flavors that typically ruin over-steeped batches. Straining the cooled liquid through a fine-mesh sieve removes the fibrous bits of fresh ginger and whole peppercorns. Pour the resulting dark amber concentrate into a glass mason jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
Dilution ratios dictate the final balance of flavor in the glass. Pour one cup of the chilled concentrate over a full tumbler of ice cubes, then introduce one-quarter cup of almond milk to soften the bite of the raw ginger root. Adding sweeteners like liquid agave or honey directly to the cold liquid requires extra stirring because cold temperatures slow down molecular dispersion. Dissolve any granulated sweeteners into a splash of warm concentrate before adding ice if rapid incorporation is desired.
