It's chai time!
This week I'm sharing with you a recipe for a comforting chai.
Hello and welcome to your first note in the Healthy Hedonism series!
Today, I’d like to introduce you to what I truly believe is a winter superfood. In 18th century England, only one pound of this spice cost as much as a sheep.
Ginger!
Ginger warms you up as fast as a tequila shot, it clears sinuses, boosts immunity and prevents weight gain. The Kama Sutra calls it an aphrodisiac.
A glass of hot water with a slice of fresh ginger in it, is how I start my day in winter.
This week I would like to share a recipe for a comforting ginger chai.
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
For 1 cup:
Boil one cup of water.
Grate 1 inch of fresh ginger root and add it to the boiling water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. The water will reduce and turn golden.
To the water, add 2-3 whole pods of cardamom or a generous 1/4 tea spoon of cardamom powder and 1 tea spoon of black tea of your choice. Let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Optional: Add 1/4 tea spoon dry lemon grass leaves.Heat (and froth if you like) a little less than 1/2 cup of milk. Spelt and almond milk are my favorite but go with any milk you like.
Strain the water and slowly stir in the milk. Keep tasting and stop when the chai is milky enough for your taste.
Add a pinch of powdered cinnamon and taste before you add a sweetener of your choice. You might not need to add any or just a little.
Sit down, take a break and enjoy your drink. Think of this as a ritual — time out from your daily grind — put on some music, phone a friend or simply enjoy a silent break. That is what chai drinking is all about after all!
Tip : I crush whole spices instead of ready to use powders. Whole spices have a punch that powders from a store do not!
Sunlight, temperature, humidity…have an impact on our body and mind in more ways than we might be aware of.
You know what I’m talking about if in winter you have trouble getting out of bed, crave sweets, feel low or foggy headed. This is precisely what modern medicine calls Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - winter blues as we might know it.
Healthy Hedonism is a series of tips to help you battle the winter blues. 1 voice note and a written transcript by email every week for 7 weeks.
Is there something that you are struggling with this winter? Hit reply and share with me, I’d be happy to address it in this series.
Until next week, stay warm!
Love,
Gayatri