The following is a special chai recipe offered by our Ayurvedic Yoga Health Program Instructor, Ann Wagoner. This balancing (Satvic) tea is wonderful in fall. Add spices for your constitution (Dosha). Ingredients are for only one person, so multiply the spices by the number of people you're serving. Sign up to our Ayurveda newsletter to learn more about the program! Learn more about Ann Wagoner and her Ayurveda journey.
CHAI (Tea)
Vata: Decreases
Pitta: Decreases
Kapha: Decreases
Season: Fall & Winter
One Serving Chai:
4 cardamom pods
3 whole clove
6 black peppercorns
½ stick cinnamon
1 ginger root slice
1 star anise or other spice of choice (whole allspice, bay leaf)
8 ounces water
6 ounces milk (cow, goat, hemp, almond, rice, soy, coconut. oat)
Multiply the above ratio by the number of people you are serving. Grind and boil spices in water and milk for 7 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon black, green, mate or rooibos tea. Steep 3 minutes. Stain and add honey (or jaggery, maple syrup, xylitol, sucanat)
Serves: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes
For Individual Doshas:
Vata: Use cow or goat milk. Add bay leaf, fennel, tulsi and nutmeg. Prefer a non-caffeinated tea. If honey is too drying, try jaggery.
Pitta: Reduce clove, pepper, cinnamon & ginger. Add vanilla, nutmeg, fennel, saffron with cow or coconut milk. Sweeten with sucanat or jaggery.
Kapha: Use a lighter milk from rice, almond, soy or hemp. Add allspice, star anise, cayenne and/or pippali. Add honey, xylitol or stevia for sweetness.
Spices can be pre-mixed, ground and stored in an airtight container. Then boil ½ teaspoon of herbs in water for 3 minutes before tea and milk are added.
Chai Kitchen Spices*
Allspice: promotes heat to stay warm
Anise: see Star Anise
Bay Leaf: relieves gas, expectorant
Black Peppercorns: clears toxins & mucus
Cardamom: Freshen breath, improves digestion
Cinnamon: Improve circulation and digestion
Clove: increases digestive speed, clear lungs
Fennel: relieves gas and involuntary muscle spasms
Ginger: anti-inflammatory for arthritis
Milk: Calcium to strengthen bones
Nutmeg: restores the nervous system
Pepper: see Black Peppercorns
Pippali: Carrier for other spices
Saffron: purifies the blood, rejuvenates
Star Anise: relieves intestinal pain and distention
Tulsi (holy basil): anti-carcinogenic, anti-stress
Your favorite mix (Masala) of spices: Brings bliss to mind, body and spirit
*For more information, go to www.pubmed.gov and search for things like “cinnamon and circulation” you can read the latest research on spices and healing.