Recipe: Fresh Turmeric And Ginger Tea

Living in NY means being in contact with innumerable of people on a daily basis. In one subway car alone, you're stuffed in surrounded by people who are often coughing and sneezing (and who knows what else). This is the time of year when everyone at the office is sick, and the kids keep coming home with sniffles. I decided it was time to pull out the soothing wintertime teas. I like to drink tisanes with turmeric and ginger when the cold and flu season hits. I find turmeric, honey and ginger incredibly soothing for coughs, sniffles, and sore throats. Add in a bit of lemon, and it's even better. I recently created a recipe for fresh turmeric and ginger tea that is the perfect remedy for the wintertime blues.

A few months ago a neighbor gave me a jar of a Korean tea concentrate that is essentially a thick concentrated paste of yuzu, ginger, and honey all mixed together. To prepare, you simply dissolve a few teaspoons in hot water. I love the ease of having this concentrate in the fridge. But the store-bought tea is a bit too sweet for me and it's not always easy to find in the store, so I thought I'd create my own version of zingy ginger tea and add a healthy dose of turmeric.

Turmeric always seems like a good idea, especially during cold and flu season. Lemon too, for the added vitamin C. I love how the yuzu flavor tastes in the jarred version that I have, but yuzu is quite difficult to find and lemon is a great substitute. Fresh turmeric can also be tricky to find (I had to check a couple of stores before I found it), so you can substitute ground turmeric in the recipe if necessary.

Tips To Consider

- If you're using fresh turmeric, be careful of staining! This stuff is potent. My fingernails were yellow for a couple of hours afterwards, even after vigorous hand washing.

-I grated my ginger and turmeric by hand, which can be a bit of a pain. If you have a food processor or mini-chopper, use it!

-I like to use raw honey in this preparation, it supposedly has more nutrients. But any honey will do.

-You can absolutely use ground ginger and turmeric for this recipe, but you won't need as much. Fresh turmeric is difficult to find, and can be expensive, so please go ahead and use ground. I note the measurements in the recipe below.

-You can thinly slice pieces of lemon and add it to this mixture, but I prefer just using the zest and juice. The white pith of the lemon isn't as pleasant to chew on, but it is edible.

-To zest the lemon, I love using a microplane to get every last bit of zest, but a regular grater with tiny holes also works just fine.

-This recipe makes enough for quite a few teaspoons of concentrated tea paste. I like to keep mine in a sanitized jar in the fridge, as it keeps for a couple of weeks. I hoard small jars after they've been used, exactly for this kind of purpose. My husband gets a bit annoyed with our cabinet overflowing with empty jars, but hey, they come in handy!

Tea Happiness' Fresh Turmeric and Ginger Tea 

2 tbsp fresh grated turmeric, or 3 tsp ground

3 tbsp fresh grated ginger, or 1 tbsp ground 

1/4 C. Honey

Juice and zest of 1 small lemon 

1 cup freshly boiled water

Peel fresh turmeric and ginger before grating. Once grated, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly to create a marmalade-like paste. Add 1-2 teaspoons of the paste to a mug, and pour in hot water. Stir to dissolve. 

Add the remaining paste to a clean, small jar, it keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Add as many teaspoons of this tasty mixture as you like to hot or cold water for tea. Too much ginger for your liking? You can use more water, and less paste. I also sometimes top up my mug with a bit more lemon juice if I'm feeling really under the weather. This is a versatile drink you can make hot or cold, but I love a steamy cup of this in the winter or any time I'm feeling sick.

Even when I'm not feeling sniffly, I love keeping this tea in the fridge to enjoy on winter evenings. Just plop a few teaspoons in a mug and mix with hot water for a soothing, delicious warm hug. For a more authentic Korean yuzu citron tea, check out Jee's recipe at Oh How Civilized. For something warming with a bit of booze, try my chai spiced hot toddy recipe. How are you staying healthy and warm this winter? Would love to know all of your hot tea remedies!

Winter Tea Cocktail: Chai Spiced Hot Toddy

It's the time of year when the activities just don't stop and things get nutty. Parties are in full swing, we're squeezing in time to decorate, bake, and shop on already crazy busy days. Don't forget those wintertime sniffles and coughs that start to creep in. You know what helps with all of those things? A tea cocktail. A chai spiced hot toddy, to be exact.

I love a good hot toddy. It's soothing, warming, and great for all the sniffles and wintertime vibes. A hot toddy is great to soothe coughs and colds, and just makes you feel all warm and cozy inside. Add in black tea and masala chai spices and it becomes perfect for a festive gathering. I wanted this drink to have all the elements of a classic hot toddy, but with added masala chai elements. So all the good stuff, plus more good stuff.

For my Chai Spiced Hot Toddy I'm using some of the spices found in a classic masala chai, but I'm omitting the milk, and adding honey and lemon. I was a bit concerned that the lemon wouldn't work with the cardamom, but it blends together quite nicely.

Tips to consider:

-If you're looking to save time, this can be made with a good masala chai blend, either loose or bagged. 

-You can sub in sugar or maple syrup into this recipe, but honey gives it that hot toddy feel.

-I like using whiskey in my toddy, but bourbon, scotch, or rum also work nicely.

-You can switch the lemon to an orange, which works nicely with the spices. I'd recommend a using rum if you do.
-This can easily be made as a decaf drink by using rooibos. Or if you prefer you can omit the tea altogether. But that's just crazy.

Tea Happiness' Winter Cocktail: Chai Spiced Hot Toddy
Makes 1 tea cocktail

8 oz. water

1 inch piece of ginger peeled and smashed

1 cinnamon stick

4 cardamom pods

4 whole cloves
1.5 tsp black tea or 1 tea bag (I like using Assam or Keemun)

2 oz. whiskey (or bourbon, rum, or scotch)

2+ tsp honey, to taste

2+ teaspoon lemon juice, also to taste

lemon slices and peel for garnish

In a small saucepan bring the water to a boil and add the ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Let this gently simmer for 5-8 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the tea and steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain this into a mug and stir in the honey until dissolved. Add in whiskey and lemon juice. Garnish with lemon, and find a cozy spot to start sipping.

This is the perfect drink to shake off the day or give yourself a warm tea hug. Wouldn't it be perfect while sitting by a fire, chatting with friends? You can make this drink without alcohol and it'll still be extremely comforting and warming. Or if you'd prefer something with a bit of chocolate, be sure to check out my masala chai hot chocolate recipe.

Cozy Up With Masala Chai Hot Chocolate

The days are getting shorter, the trees are shedding their technicolor leaves, and I'm starting to pile on the warm sweaters and burrow under cuddly blankets. Naturally, my mind starts drifting towards teas that have a little extra something- comfort, warmth, richness. Winter also means I'm looking for spice and sweet. The only time I really add flavor or sweetness to my tea is for a soothing cup of masala chai. Lately I've been bubbling warm pots of hot cocoa on the stove, and the other day I decided to add components of masala chai into my cocoa. There are many recipes out there for chai hot chocolate, but I'm rather fond of the one that I've come up with. The tea flavor really comes through, and the rich chocolate flavor makes everything super comforting and decadent. This is a warming, hearty cup with flavors (and feels) that will linger well past the last sip.

For the black tea in this recipe, you'll want to use something that brews up nice and strong. We don't need any fancy teas here, a broken leaf or even CTC will do just fine if you have it. I like to use a Kenyan or Irish Breakfast blend, and I've even used bags of PG tips when we have them on hand (my husband likes them, and I admit I don't mind a cuppa now and again). 

My big secret for this masala chai hot chocolate is to start with just the milk, water, ginger, and cinnamon. I like to heat this up and let it barely bubble for about 5-10 minutes. I find the ginger and cinnamon need time to infuse the milk, otherwise they get lost in the stronger flavors of cocoa and cardamom. A very low heat is key here, as the milk will very quickly turn into a volcano of foam cascading onto the stove top.

Tea Happiness' Masala Chai Hot Chocolate
serves 2 (or one very decadent cup)

1.5 cups milk (I like 2% cow's milk but you can use any milk of choice)
1/2 cup water
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I love this one)
2 tbsp (or 2 tea bags) black tea
6 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
5 peppercorns
3-4 tbsp sugar (to taste)

In a small saucepan combine the water, milk, ginger, and cinnamon stick. Slowly heat this up and let it slightly bubble bubble (do not let this boil or you'll have a milky mess all over the stovetop!) for about 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat and gently whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar (start with 3 tbsp of sugar, taste, and then add as desired). Once this is well incorporated, add the tea and remaining spices. Allow to simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure you don't get a 'skin' on the top. Strain the mixture into a small teapot, and serve.

You could certainly garnish the masala chai hot chocolate with whipped cream, or sprinkle additional spices on top, but I like it straight up. The flavors are amazing and I don't think it needs any further embellishment!

Trust me, your kitchen will smell amazing after you whisk up a pot of this masala chai hot chocolate! Everyone will come running in for a taste. You can easily make a larger batch of this, but be sure to monitor the sugar and cocoa powder and taste as you go. 

The kids and I had so much fun sampling various versions of this masala chai hot chocolate, until we found just the right combination of flavors. If you'd like to serve it to little ones, I'd suggest omitting the tea, or at least cutting back on it. It's definitely got a bit of a caffeine kick from all the tea and cocoa. You can also use sweetened cocoa powder or a good quality hot chocolate mix in this recipe, but be sure to omit the extra sugar if you do. 

This weekend, cozy up with a few books, a big blanket and a few cups of this masala chai hot chocolate, and I guarantee you'll be ready for the blustery winter ahead.

Recipe: Lapsang Souchong Beet Hummus

Happy New Year everyone! I've taken a bit of a blog break, and it's finally time to get back to writing about tea. To start the year off right, I thought it would be fun to share a healthy(ish) tea infused recipe I've been making in huge batches for work lunches and midday snacks. Lapsang Souchong beet hummus! That may sound like a bizarre combination, but let me explain a little bit about how it came to be...

I've always been a fan of hummus; I love the creamy chickpeas and the nutty sesame flavor.  It's easy to make, and works well on sandwiches and as an afternoon snack with veggies and crackers. I've taken to adding a bit of smoky lapsang souchong to my hummus, to change up the flavor and add a nice smoky note. When I was at the grocery store other day I noticed a roasted beet hummus on the shelf. At first I thought it was a strange idea, but then I thought about how the earthy and sweet beets must compliment the smooth chickpeas quite nicely. As I waited in the checkout line, I started thinking about beet hummus (as one does), and realized it would go really well with some added lapsang!  So, I created my own. It may sound a bit out of the ordinary, but I assure you it's quite delicious.

Tea Happiness' Lapsang Souchong Beet Hummus
Serves: 6 to 8

1 large red beet
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
1 can chickpeas (15 oz) drained with liquid reserved or 1 cup cooked dried chickpeas with 1 cup cooking liquid reserved
1 medium sized clove garlic, grated
about 1/3 cup lemon juice (more to taste)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp lapsang souchong tea, ground
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

First, roast the beet- Preheat the oven to 450º. Wash the beet, but don't peel it. Poke a few holes in it, then wrap in tin foil.  Roast for about an hour- testing after 45 minutes for doneness. A knife should easily side into the beet when it's ready. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly, still wrapped in the tin foil. When the beet is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. I like to use paper towels for this, as your hands will get instantly red if you use your fingers! 

To grind the tea, you can use a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or just a small bowl and the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure the bits are nice and small, as they will incorporate better into the hummus. 

Assemble the hummus- Once the beet is cool, slice and add to a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients except for the reserved chickpea liquid. Blend the mixture until it's nice and smooth. Taste, and add more lemon juice if desired. I actually like the consistency of the hummus as it is at this stage, but if you'd like to have a thinner hummus, pour in about 1/4 cup or so of the reserved chickpea liquid in while the food processor is running. Transfer to a bowl and serve your gorgeously pink hummus with crackers, veggies, whatever you like!

I think this vibrant hummus really brightens up the gray winter days we've been experiencing lately. You can pair the hummus with any kind of tea, but I prefer a hearty assam, or a sweet hong cha. You'll want something that can stand up to the smoke, but I wouldn't recommend a smoky tea, as it's a bit too much. Whatever you pair it with, I hope you enjoy!