Indian Masala tea

If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited it will calm you. ~William Ewart Gladstone

One of the life's simple pleasures lies in sipping a hot cup of freshly brewed tea leaves with fragrant spices and condiments and biting a spicy VADA PAV , KACHORI OR FRITTERS on a cold winter day.

Sharing today traditional Indian masala chai recipe.

Ingredients:

• 20-25 green cardamom
• 1/4 th cup ground dry ginger powder/sounth
• 20-25 black pepper corn
• 10 -12 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 star anise(optional)
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds(optional)
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder(optional)

Directions:

• Grind all the  spices mentioned above in a blender to a fine powder.
• Store in an air tight bottle.
  

For making masala tea:

• 3/4th cup of water
• Sugar to taste
• 1 tsp tea leaves
• 1 tsp chai masala
• A small piece ginger (crushed)
• 2-3 basil leaves(optional)
• 1/4th cup milk

Directions:
Boil water in a pan, add sugar, tea leaves, chai masala powder  along with crushed ginger and basil  leaves. Boil it for 3-4 minutes on low flame, add milk and boil for another 3-4 minutes.
Serve hot. 

For iced tea lovers  try  these refreshing flavours orange spiced tea or Earl grey & rose iced tea or Peach & apple iced tea

Earl grey & rose iced tea

Summers are just stepping in! Craving for something chilly, hence happens naturally to me.
Let's have some soothing earl grey and rose iced tea!

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp crushed dried rose petals
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rose water
• 2 Earl grey tea bag
• 2 cups of water
• Honey/Sugar to taste
• Some ice cubes

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time : 7-10 minutes
Refrigeration time : 4-6 hours
Yields : 2 serving
Kitchen equipment required : Saucepan, tea strainer, mixing spoon

Directions:

• Heat water in a saucepan along with rose petals, fennel seeds and nutmeg powder to rolling boil.
• Add tea bag and let it stand for to steep for 5-7 minutes.
• Discard the tea bag, strain and let it cool.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours.
• Stir in some honey, rose water and lemon juice.
• Fill the glasses with ice cubes and pour tea over the ice
• Serve chilled!
  

Apple oatmeal bars with orange spiced tea

Apple choco oatmeal bars and Orange spiced iced tea...
A guilt free, healthy yet fulfilling breakfast after a heavy workout to keep you active and refreshed throughout the day!!
Apple choco oatmeal bars 
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup instant oats
• 1/4th cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2  cup fresh orange juice
• 4-5 tbsp powdered  sugar (to taste)
• 2 large apples shredded
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• A handful chopped walnuts
  

Directions:

• Combine all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
• Pre- heat oven at 190 degree C for 10 minutes.
• Grease a baking dish, pour the oats mixture and bake it for 25-30 minutes or till done.
• Allow it to cool and cut into slices.
• Bars are ready to serve.

Orange spiced tea:
Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 cloves
• 2 crushed green cardamoms
• 2 black peppercorns
• 1 star anise
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• Peels from half orange
• 2 drops orange essence 
• Sugar to taste
• 1 tea bag

Directions:

• In a saucepan heat water over medium heat, add cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon powder, orange peel and grated nutmeg.
• Bring it to boil, switch off the flame.
• Add orange essence and a tea bag, cover and let it brew for 5- 10 minutes.
• Strain and stir in sugar.
• Add ice cubes and serve.
  

Thandaai

Holi is supe duper fun at my place! It's bound to be when you've got a six year old boy :)! He enjoys it so much...the colours, the water ballons, pichkari!! I give him all that yummy food which he enjoys just as much as the colour and stuff...gujiyaas and laddoos appear and disappear fast from the plates ;) but these are for him so it's bound to happen! What's for us...well it's thandaai...the little one doesn't enjoy it yet...it's bit spicy for his tastebuds...so I make it just for me and hubby in large quantities.....no there's no bhaang in it before you get any ideas..it's spicy and tasty!! :)

So let's the celebrations begin with this traditional Thandaai :)

Holi hai bhai holi hai......bura naa maano holi hai :) :) 

Ingredients:

• 1 liter full cream milk
• 20-25 almonds 
• 20-25 cashews 
• 20- 25 pistachio
• 2 tbsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp melon seeds
• 8-10 black peppercorns
• 8-10 green cardamom
• 10-15 edible rose petals
• Few strands of saffron
• Sugar to taste
  

Directions:

• Soak almonds, cashews, pistachios, poppy seeds, melon seeds and fennel seeds in  water for an hour. Peel almonds and make a fine paste of all these ingredients using some milk. Keep aside.
• Bring milk to boil, add cardamom seeds, rose petals, saffron strands and sugar to the boiling milk and simmer the flame. Add the ground paste to the milk and simmer the flame for 4-5 minutes.
• Strain and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
• Garnish with rose petals and few saffron strands.
• Serve chilled.