Chai Spice Tea Mix

A good friend of mine is a huge chai tea lover. I wanted to make her a special Christmas gift and thought that homemade chai tea mix would be perfect.

Spice Mix

• 1 orange
• 1/2 cup cardamom pods
• 12 cinnamon sticks, crushed
• 2 tbsp whole cloves
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp allspice berries
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup whole star anise
• 1/2 cup loose Darjeeling tea

Dry the orange. Preheat oven to 200F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the orange into 1/8″ thick rounds and place on the sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until dry. Approximately two to three hours.

Make spice mix. Combine the dried orange the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine. Store the spice mix and Darjeeling tea in separate airtight containers for up to six months.

Chai Tea

• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbsp chai spice mix
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Darjeeling tea

Make Chai tea. Simmer 2 tbsp of the chai spice mix with milk, water and sugar for 25 minutes. Add Darjeeling tea and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and serve immediately.