Chai lovers, you must try these unique recipes
What's the story
Chai spices are aromatic and warming, and can be used in a wide range of dishes, beyond a classic cup of tea. These spices usually consist of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. Using chai spices in your cooking can add depth and complexity to sweet as well as savory dishes. Here are five fun ways to use chai spices in your cooking.
Breakfast delight
Chai-spiced oatmeal
Chai-spiced oatmeal makes the most comforting breakfast. Combine the warmth of chai spices with the heartiness of oats and you have a delicious dish. Just cook oats with milk or water and add a mix of ground cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup. This dish gives you a healthy start and fills your kitchen with an inviting aroma.
Snack time
Chai-spiced granola bars
Granola bars infused with chai spices make for a delightful snack that is both healthy and flavorful. Combine rolled oats with nuts like almonds or walnuts and dried fruits like raisins or cranberries. Add a mixture of chai spices along with honey or agave syrup as a binder. Bake until golden brown for a portable snack that offers an energy boost during busy days.
Dessert indulgence
Chai-spiced rice pudding
Rice pudding gets an exotic twist when flavored with chai spices. Cook rice in milk till creamy before adding sugar to taste along with ground cardamom, broken up cinnamon sticks, grated fresh ginger root, whole cloves, and freshly cracked black peppercorns, if desired. Stir occasionally till thickened further by evaporation over low heat without burning it.
Savory twist
Chai-spiced roasted vegetables
Roasting vegetables such as carrots or sweet potatoes enhances their natural sweetness while imparting depth through the caramelization processes involved. However, when combined with some well-chosen complementary flavors from using various combinations thereof—such as turmeric powder mixed evenly throughout the entire batch before roasting—you'll find yourself enjoying something truly special indeed!
Sweet treats
Chai-spiced cookies
Cookies infused with chai spice offer an exciting alternative to classic flavors. Simply mix flour together alongside baking soda plus salt, then gradually incorporate butter followed closely thereafter by sugar until a smooth consistency is achieved. The next step involves folding dry ingredients carefully so everything gets evenly distributed throughout the dough itself before shaping individual portions onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ready to go into an oven preheated beforehand.