Vata: Decreases
Pitta: Decreases
Kapha: Decreases
Season: Fall & Winter
This is a recipe modified from KP Khalsa and Michael Tierra’s book “The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs.” This balancing (Sattvic) tea can be made year round. Spices can be added or subtracted for individual Dosha or Seasonal needs. This recipe is for only one person, so multiply the ingredients by the number of cups (people) you’re serving.
Ingredients:
- 3 cloves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 6 peppercorns
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 2 slices fresh ginger root
- 10 oz. water
Directions:
- Peel and discard cardamon pods
- Grind spices lightly in spice grinder (except ginger).
- Add all spices to water. Simmer 10 minutes or more.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon tea (rooibos, green, black, assam, or mate) to soaked spices.
- Steep 3 minutes and drain.
- Add 1/2 cup milk (cow, goat, hemp, almond, rice, soy, coconut) and reheat.
- Add sweetener (honey, jaggery, xylitol, agave, sucanat, maple syrup, etc).
Serves: 1
Preparation time: 15 minutes
For Individual Doshas:
Vata: Use cow or goat milk. Add pippali, allspice, bay leaf, fennel and anise. Prefer a non-caffeinated tea. If honey is too drying, try jaggery.
Pitta: Reduce clove, pepper and ginger. Add vanilla, nutmeg, fennel and saffron with cow or coconut milk. Sweeten with jaggery or maple syrup.
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 adding tea and milk.
Chai Kitchen Spices*
Allspice: promotes heat to stay warm
Anise: see Star Anise below
Bay Leaf: relieves gas, expectorant
Black Peppercorns: clears toxins & mucus
Cardamom: Freshen breath, improves digestion
Cinnamon: Improve circulation and digestion
Clove: increase 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: Fed Ex for other spices
Saffron: purifies the blood, rejuvenates
Star Anise: relieves intestinal pain and distention
Your favorite mix (Masala) of spices: Brings bliss to mind, body and spirit
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Advice on chai is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. But these spices might balance your Dosha. If you go to www.pubmed.gov and search for things like “cinnamon and circulation” you can read the latest research on spices and healing.