Chai: Tea with Benefits

There is something special and rewarding about making things from scratch and chai is no exception. It may take some leg work at first, rounding up all the ingredients, but that just makes it taste all the better.

While chai is full of many herbs with health benefits, cardamom caught my eye.

Did you know that cardamom can:
-Relieve muscle pain
-Help with asthma and bronchial problems
-Be used as a medicated wash for skin problems
-Deal with halitosis
-Aid in digestion
-Combat anemia, weakness, and malaria
-Regulate blood pressure

Here is a wonderful Chai recipe from Oh, How Civilized.

HOMEMADE CHAI FROM SCRATCH
Makes 2 cups

3/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup milk (I use soy.)
2 teaspoons of black tea (Assam or Ceylon)
1/2 piece cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon honey
5 whole green cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 star anise
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of coarse ground pepper

1. Crush and roughly chop the star anise, cloves and cardamoms.
2. In a saucepan, add all the ingredients except for the vanilla extract.
3. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Take off heat. Add vanilla extract.
4. Using a strainer, pour or ladle chai into mugs. Enjoy!

Check out more of Oh, How Civilized's beautiful photographs HERE.

And for more interesting information about the history, uses, and lore of cardamom click HERE.