I want to be the little voice in your ear this morning that tells you to make some chai concentrate! I posted this recipe in the winter, but it’s just as good if not better in the summer.

You may already have some in your fridge, but it’s my recipe and I somehow forgot that iced chai is my favorite drink in warm weather. So I thought I’d repost it for new readers (and as a reminder to you guys who have stuck with me awhile).

The slow cooker is a perfect choice for warmer weather since it doesn’t heat up your house like the stove top or oven. It may seem premature to have a summery post in April, but it was almost 90 degrees over the weekend. I was in need of a cooling drink that gives you a little boost of energy! I also love how cheap this is to make, especially when you compare it to the price of one of the boxes at your local Whole Foods!

To make an iced chai fill up a glass with ice, then add the chai concentrate (1/4 to 1/2 of your glass depending on how strong and/or sweet you made it). Fill up the rest with your favorite non-dairy milk. Of course, my favorite is So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk. If you leave out the sweetener the Vanilla So Delicious Coconut Milk adds the sweetness plus a hint of vanilla.

Do It Yourself Chai Concentrate

• 6 cups (1500ml) water
• 5 slices fresh ginger
• 7 whole cinnamon sticks
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 10 teabags (black, green, or roobios)
• 1/2 to 1 cup agave nectar (or other sweetener like maple syrup, stevia or sugar, or leave unsweetened if you prefer)

This is much easier to clean up if you put the spices in a re-usable muslin tea bag. It takes more work to get all the allspice berries and cardamom seeds out with out it. You can throw the whole bag into the slow cooker and then take it out just as easily. Then just rinse it out and let it dry before you put it away. It will be waiting for the next batch of chai concentrate you make.

In the morning: If you can’t find cardamom seeds, you can open up cardamom pods and extract them yourself. Put water and spices (or spice bag) in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

After cooking: Add in tea bags to the slow cooker and turn to high. Let seep 5 to 10 minutes depending on how concentrated you want the flavor to be. Remove teabags and add sweetener if desired. Take out the cinnamon sticks. If you didn’t use a spice bag, pour into a pitcher while straining out the spices through a piece of cheesecloth places in a funnel to remove the rest of the whole spice.

Store in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks. It can be frozen as well.

Yields: About 6 cup (1500ml)
Total Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 5 to 8 hours