Dirty Masala Chai
You may be familiar with the homogenized version of a chai tea latte: heavy on the sweet, light on the spice, and topped with plenty of frothed milk. We prefer to brew closer to the drink’s masala chai (“spiced tea”) roots, which emphasizes spices, such as black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, and ginger, and black tea steeped in milk. A teaspoon of honey mellows the spices without hiding them, and a combo of water and almond (or coconut) milk add a bit of creaminess without a ton of extra calories. Pay attention, though, because this is where it gets good. Bring the thunder to that cup of delicate chai by dumping in a shot (or two) of espresso. Doing so makes Monday morning bearable.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Ingredients
¾ cup water
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened coconut milk)
2 thin slices fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick (or 1 dash ground cinnamon)
1 dash ground cardamom
1 dash freshly ground black pepper
1 dash ground fennel
1 bag chai tea
1 shot espresso coffee , brewed
1 tsp . raw honey
Instructions
Heat water and almond milk in small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Just before water mixture boils, add ginger, cinnamon stick, cardamom, pepper, and fennel. Remove from heat once mixture comes to a boil.
Add tea bag; allow to steep for 2 minutes.
Remove tea bag, cinnamon stick, and ginger.
Pour into a mug. Add espresso and honey; mix well.
Serve immediately.
