Vegan Spiced Chai

I love a good cup of Indian spiced tea, chai masala. Not the horridly sweet stuff that is served up in cafes and coffee shops across the country often using chai-flavoured syrups, but the authentic chai masala infused with real spices.

It seems that everyone has a different opinion about what spices should be used in chai masala, and in what quantities. It's also a recipe that varies regionally across the sub-continent. Here is my own recipe that i adapted for a vegan friend a few years ago.


Vegan Spiced Chai
Serves 4

4 tbs good quality Ceylon tea
2 cups vanilla soy milk
green cardamom pods
cinnamon stick
fennel seeds or aniseed
peppercorns
fresh ginger
coriander seeds
cloves

Heat about 2 cups of water with vanilla soy milk and desired spices until hot, but not boiling. Add about 4 tbs of good quality loose Ceylon tea and allow tea to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until desired strength. Serve hot in mugs.

I usually use about 1 small stick cinnamon, 4 slices ginger, 6 cardamon pods, 12 pepper corns, 12 coriander seeds, 6 cloves, and about 1/4 tsp of fennel seeds or aniseed; but experiment and see what you like.

I find vanilla soy milk is sweet enough for this recipe, If you want a sweeter tea, add honey.

Red Lentil Soup

This lentil soup is one of my stand-bys for a quick meal when I am not really in the mood to cook. No need of veggie stock, it uses spices to jazz itself up. I add leftover steamed veggies at the end of the cooking just to heat through, giving me a filling, nutritious lunch or supper. This is even better the next day as the lentils thicken further when chilled. Reheated and served over rice, it makes a tasty dhal!

Red Lentil Soup

4 Tbsp butter or ghee
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
1/4 tsp cayenne
2” piece of cinnamon stick

1 cup red lentils
5 cups water
2 tbsp tomato paste
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon

In a medium to large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic over low heat until golden. Add spices and cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add washed and drained lentils, water, tomato paste and salt to taste. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

When ready, mash a few lentils against the side of the pan. Remove the cinnamon stick, add lemon juice and serve.