Chai — the Ayurveda  Way

Did you know the best way to drink chai is to make it yourself?

Why is that? Because you can customize it according to your feelings, your body, mind type, your imbalances, and the season.

A chai tea can be customized, depending on the season and our own dosha (body/mind type). This recipe is a general recipe, suitable for all doshas. The kapha types can tolerate daily dose of caffeine, while a Vata can skip the caffeine altogether, due to their sensitive nervous system.

The ingredients that I’ve chosen have unique nutritional and emotional benefits. When you understand the energetics of each of the spices, their qualities, and its effect on the doshas, then you can make choices accordingly.  (Either emphasize certain spices or downplay  certain spices.)

Prep time: 2 minutes and Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Serves 2 people

Main Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• ¼ to ½  cup organic milk (or dairy free alternative)
• Vata: Would do better with more whole milk.
• Pitta: Can choose either alternative, depending on how they are feeling. 
• Kapha: Better to take a non-dairy alternative
  

Herbs/Spices/Other

• 3-4 cloves
• 2 pinches of nutmeg
• 1 large cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon of ajwain
• 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
• 2-4 cardamom green pods
• 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated organic ginger
• ½ to 1 teaspoon of black tea

Add sweetener of choice:

• Maple syrup (great for Pitta)
• Panella or Gud (great for Vata)
• Little or no sugar for Kapha body types.
• Sieve for straining the spices, once tea is made.

Kitchen Gear

• Medium Pot
• Sieve for straining the spices,
  once tea is made.

Method

In a mortar and pestle, open up the cardamom pods and remove the black seeds inside the pod. 

Grind the seeds of cardamom pods into a powder format, to release the essential oils.

Next, add in the fennel seeds, cloves and ajwain seeds for grinding – Just well enough to be able to smell the spices and release the essential oils.

Now, add all the ground up spices, grated ginger, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and the ground up nutmeg powder in the water.

Turn up the temperature in the spiced pot. Cover the lid.

Wait until the mixture boils  

Continue boiling well for another 5 to 7 minutes, with lid closed.

Add the black tea and let the colour blend in the water – Boil for another 2-4 minutes.

Separate some of the mixture into smaller bowl for non-dairy Chai version – Cook separately with non-dairy alternative.

Add in the dairy and allow the mixture to become hot. (Do not let mixture boil because this increases the cream and Kapha in the body)

Note: The green cardamom is a key ingredient in chai tea because it helps neutralize the effects of caffeine.