In time for chillier autumn weather, here are some hot drinks that are well-loved in various parts of the world.
INDIA
Chai (चाय) is central to Indian culture. It is a morning ritual, an offering to welcome guests, a cure for maladies ranging from fevers to sore throats and indigestion and an excuse to break. Try this recipe:
Ingredients (yields 1 serving):
1 cup water
1 tablespoon loose black tea
a pinch of ground cardamom or four crushed cardamom pods
a pinch of ground cinnamon or one cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger (optional)
star anise (optional)
1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
1/4 cup milk of choice
Instructions:
Pour water and black tea in a pot over medium heat. Add cardamom, cinnamon and ginger. When the water reaches boiling, add the milk and honey and reduce the flame to low. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and let it summer for another minute or two, stirring to avoid burning the milk.
Strain into a cup and enjoy!
- See more at: http://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2014/03/06/its-chai-time/#sthash.08ZyPfFF.dpuf
JAPAN
Matcha (抹茶 maccha) is Japanese stone-ground green tea powder, and it is rich in antioxidants! Matcha is the type of tea used in formal Japanese tea ceremonies. Because of its powder form, matcha can be easily added to baked goods and drinks. Here is a quick and easy recipe for hot matcha latte, which is perfect to sip on a cold day!
Ingredients (yields 1 serving)
1 tea spoon matcha powder
3 quarters of a cup milk (or soy milk)
1 table spoon sugar
Directions
1. Put all the ingredients in a pot.
2. Heat the pot on the stove.
3. Stir briskly with a small whisk until matcha and sugar are dissolved.
4. Remove the pot from stove just when the mixture starts to boil.
- See more at: http://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2013/11/29/matcha-latte-recipe/#sthash.UK8YjFQD.dpuf
MIDDLE EAST
During the spread of the coffee bean in the thirteenth century from Ethiopia to Yemen and the rest of the middle east, coffee was the number one drink consumed all over Arab countries. However in the beginning of the nineteenth century, during the spread of the British Empire from the far east towards the middle east, tea slowly replaced coffee as the preferred drink in countries like Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, and Somalia.
The word tea in Arabic is “شاي” or “shaaii” which comes from the Persian word “jaaii”. In the Middle East, tea is consumed anytime during the day with or without food. It is part of each celebration, and occasion. Usually, black tea is preferred in some countries of North Africa, while some gulf countries prefer tea with milk.
To prepare Middle Eastern tea (for 5 cups), you need the following:
5 teaspoons of black tea (or 5 tea bags)
1 spoon of diced raisins
1 spoon of roasted almonds (finely chopped)
4 spoons of Arak (in some Muslim countries, this ingredient is skipped), a Levantine anise flavored liqueur
honey according to taste
Try the above recipe and tell us what you think. Middle Eastern Tea is an experience in itself!
- See more at: http://www.livinglanguage.com/blog/2013/01/16/tea-in-the-middle-east/#sthash.RtgtY9iS.dpuf
ITALY
“Per Favore, per me una cioccolata calda densa, grazie!” I’ll have a hot chocolate, please. That’s how you can get yourself a cioccolata calda at a cafe in Italy, but for those of us not in Italy at the moment, here is also a recipe that is easy to make at home.
Ingredients:
1.5 cups of whole milk
1 tablespoon of cream
2 tsp of sugar
4 ounces of dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa
20 g of starch (corn or potato)
Heat the milk and cream in a pot over medium heat, but don’t let it boil. Add the chocolate. Let it melt and mix into the cream and milk. Add the sugar. Mix it well. Then add the starch, continuing to mix. Make sure it’s smooth before pouring into mugs to serve.
You can add a bit of Nutella with the chocolate for a yummy hazelnut flavor.
Let us know what your favorite recipes are for autumn!
