There’s nothing like curling up in bed with a good book and a hot cup of tea when it rains. This monsoon, City Express compiles a few innovative tea recipes to sip the chills away.
Chocolate Chai (serves two)
Ingredients
½ cup water
1 black tea bag
6 tbsp sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups milk
2 drops vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cardamom
pinch of pepper
pinch of salt
whipped cream (optional)
Method: Boil water in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bag. Cover for 5 minutes and then remove the tea bag. Stir in sugar and cocoa. Bring to boiling temperature and then reduce heat. Add milk, vanilla extract, spices and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Strain the tea and pour into warm mugs. Garnish each with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg if desired.
Spiced Apple Tea (serves two)
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
2 cloves
1.5 inches cinnamon stick
1.5 cups water
2 tea bags
Method: In a small saucepan, combine apple juice, cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile in another saucepan, boil water, remove from heat and add the tea bags. Cover for 5 minutes and then discard the tea bags. Strain the juice mixture, discarding the cloves and cinnamon. Stir into tea and pour into warm cups.
Almond Tea (serves two)
Ingredients
4.5 cups water
1 tea bag
sugar (to taste)
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1tsp almond extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 slice lemon (optional)
1 slice orange (optional)
Method: Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan, remove from heat and add tea bags. Cover for 10 minutes and then discard the tea bags. Bring the remaining 2.5 cups of water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Stir in tea, lemon juice and extracts. Pour into cups and garnish each with a lemon or orange slice.
Spiced Black Tea (serves two)
Ingredients
1 tsp grounded clove
1 tsp grounded cardamom
1 tsp grounded cinnamon
3 small pieces of ginger
2 black tea bags
2.5 cups water
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Method: Boil water in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Cover for 5 minutes and discard the tea bags. Cook and stir in the remaining ingredients over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Strain the tea and pour into cups. Garnish each with 1/2 a cinnamon stick if desired.
Chai - style Green Tea
(serves two)
Ingredients
½ cup milk
½ cup water
sugar/ honey ( to taste)
¼ tsp of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
2 green tea bags
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Method: In a saucepan, bring milk and water to boil. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Over low heat, add green tea bags and simmer uncovered for 3 minutes. Discard tea bags and serve in warm cups. Garnish each with ½ a cinnamon stick if desired.