Chai TEA ANYONE?

Chai is an Indian tea drink made with black tea leaves. Now a common coffeehouse drink, it's flavored with a blend of aromatic spices that are boiled in milk and sweetened with honey. Chai tea can be enjoyed hot or over ice for a cool, refreshing drink.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cinnamon stick, broken

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 star anise

2 cups low-fat milk

3 tea bags of Indian black tea (Assam)

1/3 cup honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the spices and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and 1 quart water to a gentle boil and whisk in the spice mixture. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add the tea, and let sit, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Strain the tea. Add the honey and stir well. Serve with extra honey, if desired.

TIP: In a bind, you can substitute certain spices for others. If a recipe calls for mace, you can use nutmeg. Instead of marjoram, try oregano. Cumin can replace coriander, and black pepper can replace white pepper. Keep in mind that these substitutions will alter the taste of the final dish, but you'll most likely be happy with the result.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6