Cocktails and Cuisine

By Rajni Hatti

Hot South Asian Drinks Hit the Spot

It seems like there is a Starbucks on every corner these days. Of course, I can see why—specialty coffees, music, and a quiet atmosphere is a great prescription for relaxation. The problem is that not all of us live near a coffee shop, and even if we do it’s not very wallet-friendly to go there everyday! Instead, why not create this atmosphere right at home?

Many drinks that are available at our local coffee shops (including chai, herbal tea, and flavored milk) are of South Asian origin. The authentic versions of these drinks can be made right at home with a few simple ingredients. Not only are you saving money and time, but you can also make the drinks exactly the way you like them.

It is very helpful to keep some common Indian ingredients on hand in your kitchen so that they are available whenever needed. Many hot South Asian drinks use the following ingredients:

- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Saffron
- Ginger

All of these ingredients store well for months. Store cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and clove in airtight containers. Ginger can be frozen and grated into dishes as needed.

I often make myself a hot drink, put on some music, cozy up on the couch and read a good book or watch TV. Try this yourself and see how relaxing it is! Here are three of my favorite drinks—chai, hot saffron and cardamom milk, and orange spice herbal tea.

Masala Chai (Spiced Indian Tea)
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups water
2 cups milk (2% reduced fat or half and half work best)
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
8 whole cloves
½ teaspoon grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons loose tea
4 teaspoons sugar

Instructions:

1) Combine water and milk in a pot and put over medium heat. Add cardamom, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon.

2) Let simmer uncovered for a few minutes and then remove from heat.

3) Add loose tea, stir, and then cover pot for about five minutes.

4) Pour tea into four cups using a strainer and then add 1 teaspoon sugar (adjust as desired) to each cup. Stir each cup and serve.

Masala Doodh (Hot Saffron and Cardamom Milk)
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 pinches saffron
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons sugar

Instructions:

1) Put milk in a pot over medium heat. Use your fingers to crumble the saffron. Add saffron, cardamom, and cinnamon to pot.

2) Let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

3) Pour milk into four cups and add ¾ teaspoon sugar (adjust as desired) to each cup. Stir each cup and serve.

Orange Spice Herbal Tea
Adrak Chai (ginger tea) is a common tonic used to aid digestion. Orange, lemon, and mint are often also added to enhance the flavor of the tea. This recipe adds a twist to the traditional Adrak Chai by including other aromatic Indian spices.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups water
2 oranges (grate 2 teaspoons worth of orange peel and squeeze ½ cup juice from oranges)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 whole cloves
3 teaspoons sugar

Instructions:

1) Put water in a pot over medium heat.

2) While water is heating, grate ginger and orange peel, and squeeze juice from oranges.

3) Add all ingredients to pot, except sugar. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

4) Pour tea into four cups using a strainer and then add ¾ teaspoon sugar (adjust as desired) to each cup. Stir each cup and serve.

Copyright © 2006 Rajni Hatti. All rights reserved.

Rajni Hatti is a freelance food writer and is currently writing an Indian cookbook which focuses on simple and delicious Indian cooking. She lives with her husband and son in the Washington D.C. area. Email askrajni@yahoo.com with comments or questions about this column.

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