Chai Concentrate

Every season brings its own rhythms in the kitchen, and when the air starts to cool, I always find myself craving something cozy and spiced. A pot of chai simmering on the stove has become one of my favorite rituals — filling our home with peace and purpose while I move through chores or school lessons with my girls. I truly believe God filled this world with everything we need for nourishment and healing — herbs, spices, roots, and real food designed with His wisdom. Each ingredient in that pot carries a gift from our creator: cinnamon for warmth and circulation, ginger for digestion, cardamom to ease congestion.... 

Over time, we’ve traded much of that goodness for pre-packaged convenience, and even something as lovely as chai has become a sugary imitation of what it was meant to be. But when we return to real ingredients and traditional preparation, we experience food as it was created to be: deeply nourishing, healing, and satisfying. Canning a batch of this truly delightful syrup for the shelf keeps that comfort close at hand, ready for the moments when we all need to slow down, give thanks, and pour a little peace and warmth into a mug.

This also makes a beautiful gift — a jar tied with ribbon, shared with a friend, tucked into a Christmas basket, or offered to a Thanksgiving host. There’s something so timeless and precious in sharing handmade gifts and I personally am always in favor of consumable gifts!

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of water

• 4 cinnamon sticks

• 10-20 whole cloves

• 20 ish whole peppercorns

• ⅓ cup whole cardamom pods

• ⅔ cup fresh chopped ginger OR ⅓ c “tea cut” dried ginger

• optional herbs to experiment with according to your tastes - ¼ cup astragalus root pieces, 2 Tbsp Chinese licorice root pieces, 4 Tbsp dried orange peels or a few slices.

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups sweetener - sugar, honey, or maple syrup (feel free to adjust more or less to your tastes)

• ½ cup loose leaf black tea OR rooibos to make it caffeine-free

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Directions

• In a large pot with a lid, bring the water to a boil. Add all of your fresh and dried herbs and the salt. Turn it down to a simmer, put on the lid and let it continue to simmer for about an hour.

• Turn off the heat and add your sweetener of choice. Stir until it is dissolved.

• Add your loose-leaf tea and let sit, covered, for 5-10 minutes.

• Strain into clean glass jars.

• Keep in the fridge for up to a week OR either can or freeze for long term storage.

Canning

To can your chai concentrate, simply fill clean quart or pint sized canning jars with your chai, leaving ¼ - ½ inch head space. Wipe down the rims, apply clean lids and rings, and process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

To use:

Depending on your personal tastes, use about 1 part Chai Syrup to 3 or 4 parts milk of your choice. Heat them both till they reach your desired temperature, froth it if you like, and enjoy! OR toss some syrup and milk in a cup with some ice, stir, and voila! Iced Chai in seconds!

I sometimes like to increase the protein and fat to make this a slightly more substantial snack on busy mornings, so I will add an egg yolk or two to my milk and syrup mixture and use my immersion blender to give it a quick blitz... It is a wonderfully nourishing treat to be sure!

Ingredient Energetics & Qualities

Traditional Use / Benefit (Ayurvedic + TCM)

Cinnamon

Warming, sweet, pungent, stimulating circulation

Ayurvedic: improves digestion, balances Vata/Kapha. TCM: warms the channels, moves Qi, supports Yang energy.

Clove

Very warming, pungent, aromatic, mildly anesthetic

Ayurvedic: boosts digestion, relieves gas. TCM: warms middle, dispels cold, alleviates nausea.

Black Peppercorns

Warming, stimulating, drying

Ayurvedic: improves bioavailability of other herbs (especially curcumin), clears mucus. TCM: disperses cold, strengthens spleen and stomach.

Cardamom Pods

Sweet, pungent, slightly cooling

Ayurvedic: lightens heavy foods, supports lungs, clears congestion. TCM: moves Qi, transforms dampness, helps with bloating.

Fresh Ginger

Warming, pungent, invigorating

Ayurvedic: foundational digestive tonic. TCM: warms middle, dispels cold, alleviates nausea.

Salt

Balancing, grounding

Ayurvedic: enhances mineral absorption, supports grounding.

Black Tea / Rooibos

Astringent, antioxidant

Black tea stimulates and tones; rooibos offers a caffeine-free, calming base with mild anti-inflammatory effects.

Astragalus Root

Sweet, slightly warming

TCM: strengthens Qi, boosts immune system, builds resilience against stress and fatigue.

Orange Peel

Slightly warming, aromatic, bitter

Ayurvedic: uplifts mood, aids digestion, reduces sluggishness. TCM: regulates Qi, resolves phlegm and dampness, harmonizes. Brightens flavor and balances heaviness.

Chinese Licorice Root

Sweet, harmonizing, moistening

Ayurvedic: rejuvenating, balances all doshas. TCM: harmonizes formulas, supports adrenal health, soothes the throat, and enhances the action of other herbs. Adds gentle sweetness and balance.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or clinical herbalist; this is not intended to be medical advice. I am just a stranger on the internet sharing information, do your own additional research and talk to your trusted medical professionals.