Masala Chai (Spiced Tea)
This Masala Chai is filled with warming spices…perfect for sipping by the fire on a cold afternoon!
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Books. Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved to read. It started with comic books then moved to Hardy Boys books. Then I discovered mystery/legal thrillers. In fact, now that I think about it, there has been a book laying on my bedside table for pretty much my entire life. Sometimes the book only stays for a couple of days. Other times that book gets a bit dusty. But I’m always working on reading something for fun.
Last year, I stumbled across the most popular books in 2015 according to the New York Public Library. I managed to pick up 2 of the top 6 from last year’s list, and they were both good reads. When I was challenged by goodnessknows to try something new this year, I thought it might be fun to revisit the 2016 list and grab a book that I might not normally pick up.
#10 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. (I had to reach back and include the #10 book since Laura just finished listening to the audio book. She said it was a great book about women who helped downed Allied pilots escape from Nazi territory back during WWII.)
#3 When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. (This book was published posthumously, and it tackles the tough subject of living with lung cancer. I imagine it’s pretty moving and inspiring.)
#2 Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. (In keeping with tough subjects, this one tackles racism in America. This one is certainly appropriate given all of the events over the past 12 months.)
#1 The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. (Up from #2 last year, I actually did read this one. And it was good! It’s also been made into a movie, and I’d like to see the big screen version. Of course, we don’t go to the movies as we have a certain young toddler who demands our attention in the evenings. Maybe we’ll rent it instead!)
So there you have it. If your reading list was getting a little sparse, now you have some new options! I enjoy a good historical novel, so I might have to pick up The Nightingale sometime this year. Since we’re talking about reading on a food blog, it only makes sense that we chat about snacks. We’re smack in the middle of the coldest part of the year here in upstate New York. Fires are a daily occurrence whenever Laura and I are both home. The smells of soups, stews and other comfort food are commonplace in our kitchen. And whenever Robbie takes his afternoon nap? Yeah, that’s time to curl up on the couch with a good book!
A good book and a roaring fire gets you pretty close to the perfect winter afternoon. A mug of Masala Chai along with a couple mixed berries, almond, dark chocolate snack squares from goodnessknows completes the afternoon! Laura has long been a fan of Masala Chai. When we first moved in together way back in our days in Atlanta, I remember Laura claiming a corner of the pantry for the various spices needed to make this Masala Chai. Sure, chai is easy enough to buy in the store, but if you’ve never made it from scratch then you definitely need to treat yourself! The combination of warming scents and flavors in this milk-based tea is absolutely amazing.
As I’ve mentioned before, Laura and I have really been working hard to improve our eating habits. We picked up a few extra pounds last year due to the pregnancy, and we’ve really buckled down here in January. I mentioned recently that we follow the 80/20 rule. It works for us! We both know that we will still crave desserts or other favorites, so we treat ourselves occasionally.
Snacking has always been my downfall (especially late in the afternoon when I’m on Robbie duty!), so I started keeping a detailed journal of what I eat each day. Sure enough, the snacking was the problem! But I’ve started making better snacking choices, and that’s where goodnessknows has come in. Their snack squares are quite tasty…and perfect when I need to nibble on something while chasing a toddler across the living room! I still mess up occasionally, but I’m ok with that. I don’t just give up entirely. Instead, I get back on track the next day. After all, every try is a step towards being your best.
Laura first picked up some goodnessknows snack squares on a work trip last Fall, and she’s been raving about them ever since. These snack squares are essentially fruits and nuts embedded in a layer of dark chocolate. Each individual two-bite square is approximately 40 calories. These goodnessknows snack squares are super tasty, too, and I have totally reinvented my snacking habits! Just this past weekend, I sat down with a mug of this Masala Chai and a couple goodnessknows blueberry, almond, dark chocolate snack squares. (That’s a new flavor out just this month!) I didn’t have time to read a book, but I gotta say the snack recharged my batteries for another round of playing with Robbie. And I didn’t have to feel bad about recording my snack!
Did you make this Masala Chai at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Masala Chai (Spiced Tea)
Ingredients
- 1½ cups water
- 6 green cardamom pods smashed
- 6 whole allspice berries smashed
- 4 black peppercorns smashed
- 4 whole star anise pods
- 1 2” piece cinnamon stick
- 2-3 thinly sliced pieces of fresh ginger
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 1 Tbsp loose black tea leaves
- 1 Tbsp honey
Instructions
- Using a small saucepan, combine water, cardamom, allspice, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick and ginger. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
- Add milk, tea leaves and honey; let simmer for 1-2 more minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat and let steep for 2-3 more minutes.
- Pour chai into mugs through fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of goodnessknows. The opinions and text are all mine.
It feels like it’s been a million years (though it’s really only a month) that I’ve gone without ready a book for fun – and I cannot wait till April 24th to be done with school so I can put down the coding books and pick up something else! Thanks for the list, David!
Your Masala Chai sounds wonderful – we love it too and enjoy it for “afternoon tea” when Lil S comes home! When I was in Abu Dhabi, we used to get masala chai from these little hole in the wall places that would froth the milk – by pouring the tea between two cups. It was to cool to watch! Now I want sneak a cuppa chai before Lil Shashi comes home with one of those goodnessknows snack squares! 🙂
April 24th, huh? That should line up pretty closely with the time that you move up here, right? We can trade books back and forth! (Although I suspect I might be a little slower than you thanks to Robbie…) Wow, what a fun way to “froth” the milk. I still think it’s awesome that you guys lived in Abu Dhabi! I bet they had some amazing masala chai over there. Yum!! Once you move up here, we’ll have chai and goodnessknows snack squares every afternoon! (Haha!)
I’ve been reading more lately and making the time for it, especially before bed and have been really enjoying it. I did read ‘The Girl on the Train’ but have yet to see the movie. I guess I’ll be renting it too. It’s always interesting to read the book and see the movie to see how it compares, isn’t it? And I have been trying to drink more tea lately over coffee (though I still don’t have coffee cut out altogether…that will never happen, I think 😉 ). This one looks so good. Love all the spices in there and so perfect to have while curled up with a good book. I’d want more than one cup of this for sure :)!!
Yeah, that’s when I do my reading lately, too, Dawn! I mean I love a good afternoon reading session, but those are becoming more and more rare these days. But that’s ok. I’ll just end my day with reading…even if it’s only one chapter before I zonk out! 🙂 So I heard the reviews on The Girl on the Train movie weren’t too hot. But I’ll probably still rent it just for fun. Laura still needs to read the book, so I’ll have to make her do that first.
Yup…we will not (repeat…not) be cutting out coffee around here! But the afternoon tea is becoming a popular trend in our house. All of the warming spices in this chai make it perfect on a cold, winter afternoon! Cheers!
This would work right about now as the hail hits my car outside my office window. It’s cold, wet and this is all too inviting. LOVE chai and would like to take a break with my iPad and finish my latest book (The Woman Who Would Be King by Kara Cooney) right about now. BUT I would end up finding one other thing to distract me and not get what I need to get done today. Like catching up on my fav blogs. Cheers Dave!
Hail!? In San Diego?? Did you move up to our area and not tell us? I thought it was 78° year-round out there! But, yes, chai is made for cold, hail-y winter afternoons! Thanks for the heads up on that book by Kara Cooney. I’ll have to check out sometime…with a mug of chai! 🙂
So many things I love in this post! I also have always loved to read. I wish I had more time to do it! My favorite time to start a book that’s been highly recommended is on a flight… then I can read for hours! Last month I read the first 200 pages of a book on a cross country flight 🙂 I also am a huge tea drinker, and chai is the best! And lastly, those snack squares are awesome! Gives me my dark chocolate fix for the day in a healthy way.
Oh! And one more thing… The Girl on the Train is coming out on Redbox soon. I’ve been wanting to see it too!
Yeah, I hear ya there, Nicole! I wish I had more time to read, too. I used to tear through books at breakneck speed…but lately, it’s been a bit more like a slow crawl. By the time I lay down at night, I just zonk out…that, and I know a certain 14-month old alarm clock will be going off soon! 🙂 We actually have a long flight coming up this summer (more on that soon!)…so that’s the perfect time to do a little reading! And, yes, these snack squares are amazing. I’ve been really enjoying them as a way to control my late-afternoon, Robbie-chasin’ snack attack!
The weather has been cold here but not as cold as where you live. And this masala chai tea is a perfect cure to keep me warm. And books? I’m glad we share the same interest. I love reading book and collecting them all. Sad to say, my parents donated them all when we moved out.
Hey, cold is relative, Linda! Back when we lived down South, I was freezing once the temp went into the 40’s°. Up here, I go outside in a t-shirt in the 40’s° and wonder why it’s so warm! 🙂 Sad that you parents donated all of those books…but in a way, that’s kinda nice. Now you can start a new collection! Hope you’re doing well, my friend!
Books are a big part of my life too – I could not imagine a house without books. Last year I did not have much time to read so one of my New Year’s resolutions is to read one book a month and I thoroughly enjoy it so far. I have a big reading lists that I’d like to go through. Even better, of course, is a book, a nice hot cup of tea and a roaring fire in the background. I love Masala Chai – just the perfect comfort drink on cold wintery days!
You know, your comment totally reminded me of that old Cicero quote: “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” I do love to read! I have a huge reading list right now, and I’m slowly trying to tick off a chapter a night. Robbie has slowed down my reading…but I’m still trucking along at my own pace. 🙂 Chai is one of my all-time favorite winter snacks (comfort foods? comfort drinks?)! Thanks, Miriam!
I love to read, but unfortunately I haven’t been reading much for a long time (And I haven’t got a toddler yet. It’s hard to imagine how much available time would we have with one). I’ve got one book I was about to finish last summer. I read most of it during my 2-hour flight in June. When I took it again on the plane in July thinking I would be done with it. Didn’t happend – I still had like 30 pages. I left it for my next travelling purpose which happened in fall. And you know what? I didn’t open it at all! So I’m thinking if I should wait for another occasion or try to attempt it at home (Maybe with a cup of this delicious tea)? Hmmm. And yes, I’ve seen The Girl On The Train – it was quite good one!
Oh no! Only 30 pages left in that book, Ben? You’ve got to sit down and finish it…if you can still remember what is going on in it by now. (Haha!) I’m thinking a cup of tea and a book might need to be in your future this weekend. I know it’s cold up there, so an afternoon on the couch with a book would be a lot of fun, right? Thanks, my friend! 🙂
I thought I’d give Audible a try, and took a stab at a book I knew nothing about. Turned out to be a romance novel, and once I realized it, I though, eh, why not? Never again!!!
I love chai tea, but have never thought to make it myself. Thanks for showing me how!
Hahaha…I’m all about checking out a new book, but you gotta at least check what type of book it is, Jeff! I can only imagine you sitting there listening to a romance novel. 🙂 Definitely make a batch of chai tea soon…and get yourself a non-romantic book!
I used to drink Soy Chai Tea Lattes regularly, but something happened, and I stopped. Last week at Starbucks the women in front of me ordered one, and it took me back to better times. I was also an avid reader growing up. I didn’t get into comic books, but I owed every book in the Goosebumps series and read them multiple times. Next week I’m going to borrow a Goosebumps book from the local library, make this masala chai and enjoy the night.
Yes! Isn’t it funny how you randomly just remember an old favorite…like Soy Chai Tea Latte? You could totally make that one at home, Mary! Sure, it requires various spices and such…but once you get them, they’ll last a while! So I never got into the Goosebumps books, but I remember my sister really liking those. Haha…I love the idea of picking up a Goosebumps book from the library and reliving the memories. Enjoy it…sounds awesome to me! 🙂
Such a classic chai David.. Feel more like a Indian version.. Loved it!!
Thank you so much, Sharmila! I really do enjoy making this chai tea from scratch…it’s so easy to make and perfect for cold weather days! 🙂
Looks so comforting and delicious 🙂
It IS so comforting and delicious, GiGi! 🙂 Thank you!!
I am sipping on to one as I read your blog post David. We cannot pass a day without masala chai, lol..I think it runs in every Indian’s blood 😉 Looks good!
Haha…what a coincidence, Manali! I do love a good masala chai…they are so incredibly easy to make once you get the spices. 🙂 Perfect for these cold weather days! 🙂 Hope you had a great weekend, my friend!
Geebuz, it’s been ages since I’ve read a new book- I should check those out, although sometimes I question the top 10 recommendations, especially when I see some questionable ‘authors’ in there. This chai spiced tea paired with those snack squares sounds pretty perfect right now!
Yes! You should totally go read a book…about Persian war strategy. 🙂 I do know what you mean, though. Just because a book made a top 10 list doesn’t mean you’ll like it…but it’s at least worth a look, right? So grab some masala chai, snack squares and a good book and just relax tonight…or today…or whatever time it is down under. Haha! Thanks, Arman!