Yogi Tea recipe
Not only does it taste great, but yogi tea is also very good for you. The tea as a whole is very warming and grounding. The black pepper in the tea acts as a blood purifier, the cinnamon is for the bones, the cardamom is for the colon, and the cloves are for the nervous system. Ginger is a digestive stimulant, and the milk acts as an aid for assimilation and prevents the colon from being irritated by the spices.
I make chai several ways, but when I am making it for Kundalini Yoga events I always make it the way Yogi Bhajan taught. Here is the recipe I use:
1 heaping tablespoon cardamom
1 heaping teaspoon cloves
1 heaping teaspoon peppercorns
6 cinnamon sticks
6″ finger of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
1 gallon of water
1 black tea bag
1 (32oz) carton unsweetened almond milk
sweetener, to taste (I use jaggery)
Gently break open the cardamom, cloves, and peppercorns using a mortar and pestle. Bring water to a boil, and then add all spices. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour. Then turn the heat off and allow tea to sit and further steep. If I have time, I will let it sit for several hours at this point. Then strain the tea by pouring it through a sieve into another pot. Bring this strained tea back to a boil, and then turn the heat off and add the tea bag. Let steep for a couple minutes, then remove the tea bag and add the milk. Personally, I much prefer whole cows milk, but when making it for a crowd I use almond milk because it always seems someone is intolerant of dairy. Bring back to a simmer, and then add sweetener. Enjoy!