BURDOCK ROOT CHAI TEA

As the temperature drops and the snow starts to fly, there’s nothing better than curling up with a warming cup of chai tea.

The combination of spices will warm you from the inside out, and might even make you look forward to the long, cold nights of winter.

Makes 1-2 servings
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 tsp. black peppercorn
1 tsp. dried ginger root
.5 tsp. dried orange peel
.5 tsp. cinnamon bark (sweet or cassia)
1 tsp. burdock root*
1 tsp. roasted dandelion root (roasted will yield a deeper, darker flavor)
1 tsp. roasted chicory root
1 tsp. astragalus root
Organic nut milk
Honey

It’s best to crush the whole spices before steeping, to get all the flavour from them. The cloves, cardamom, peppercorn, and dried ginger can be broken down with a mortar & pestle, put into a Ziploc and crushed with a rolling pin, or given a quick turn in a spice grinder.

Combine spices in a small saucepan, cover with 1c of water. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until it’s as strong as you prefer. (Add more water if too much evaporates). Strain the mixture into mugs to remove the spices. Fill mugs with frothed nut milk and honey to taste.

Relax and enjoy!

You can scale up this recipe to keep a stash in the fridge in case of emergency chai cravings.

*The root of the burdock plant, commonly eaten as a vegetable in Asia, thought to contain detoxifying properties and treat a variety of disorders. The root has a mild, earthy flavour and can be substituted with salsify or Jerusalem artichokes. The root (fresh or dried) can be purchased at health food stores or Asian markets.

**Astragalus Root is thought to boost the immune system and benefit the heart. The dried root supplement can be found at health food stores. If you cannot find it, feel free to omit it.