A delicious vegan take on a traditional Tibetan chai-style milk tea with cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, Darjeeling tea, and oat (or other non-dairy) milk. Great for immunity, blood pressure balancing, and heck, just a tasty treat for the cloudier days of spring or any old Tuesday afternoon of contemplating life in a big sweater.
Cinnamon is protective both physically and energetically, oat milk is calming, and cardamom is an all around magical spice and my #1 favorite. (See South African Malay Curry for more cardamom goodness and a video of the pods being opened.)
Adapted from The Kopan Cookbook, a wonderful book of vegetarian recipes from a Tibetan monastery — highly recommend! Here is a source to get it from independent booksellers.
This was made and enjoyed with intern and Nutrition student extraordinaire Tanzie Gooch!
INGREDIENTS
3 c water
1 c oat, coconut, or other non-dairy milk
5 coin-sized slices of fresh ginger root
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp whole cloves or ground
6 pale green cardamon pods, peeled OR 1 TBSP of ground cardamom
1 TBSP or 1 bag of Darjeeling tea (substitute Earl Grey or other black tea)
Optional: Sweetener (maple syrup, honey, or raw sugar) to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Toss cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon into a dry skillet on medium heat shaking the skillet occasionally. This would be about 2 minutes or until it becomes fragrant.
2. Add water and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add loose tea leafs or tea bag, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in oat milk. (Make certain that the water is not boiling). Simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Strain with a fine strainer and serve.