ginger-coconut vegan iced chai!

I cannot explain it but lately I have been mad for ginger! Perhaps I am out of balance in some way and need the added heat of ginger but I have been juicing it with carrots and green apples for a yummy, sweet and hot healthy drink and I have been brewing it into tea. It was my use of it in tea and my left over coconut milk from my cherry-almond ice 'cream' and my moisturizing face mask that inspired me to make this tasty chai. First a little background [just here for the recipe? scroll down and avoid my non-sense].. what is Chai? 'Cha' is the Chinese word for tea. Masala Chai is just black tea brewed with spices which is what we think of in America when we think of the yummy spicy beverage. Chai means 'tea' in Hindi and is a term used throughout the world for 'tea' so saying Chai-Tea is redundant like saying Caffè-Coffee.. its just silly right? :c)

You could make your own spice blend with black tea if you're feeling ambitious. Most blends include green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices often included though optional are corriander, nutmeg, fennel, vanilla, allspice, cocoa, and licorice root. Be sure you use whole spices or coarsely grind them so they are easily strained off and allow them to brew until it tastes good to you.

I just took a store bought spiced chai and jazzed it up for a really tasty vegan tea latte. Chai is traditionally made by brewing the tea and spices directly in milk and water with sweeteners, usually honey. You see the problem here for a vegan. So! In comes my beloved coconut milk and agave nectar in place of the cow milk and honey.

Coconut 'milk' itself is actually more of a coconut tea. Coconut 'water' comes out when you break open a coconut and this is not the same. The 'milk' is made from the meat of the coconut that is ground up, soaked, and pressed. The result is the creamy, delicious and nutritious (though admittedly fatty) liquid. Although it is high in saturated fat it contains lauric acid which is thought to help boost your immune system and coconut fat is also purported to help process other bad fats. If you haven't purchased coconut milk before you can usually find it with the 'ethnic foods' in your local grocery store. Be sure you read the labels and choose what sounds best to you. Some have fillers and thickeners so I tend to find the one that is as much coconut and water and as little 'other stuff' as possible. The full-fat is the tastiest but if you are watching your figure perhaps try the low-fat.

Agave Nectar is a great replacement for sugar and for honey in most recipes. It is derived from the juice of the desert-dwelling agave. I do not know what type of agave yields this sweet treat so please do not try to make your own as some types can lead to illness. This type is perfectly safe and has almost a buttery sweetness to it. There is an amazing recipe for its use in cupcakes in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (check my recommended books to the right). I adore the product but begrudgingly purchase it as it is produced by a honey company (madhava) and is expensive. Maple syrup might be a tasty alternative but I didn't have any. The agave nectar is really exceptional with its lower glycemic index and its ability to blend into even cold liquids.

ginger-coconut vegan iced chai
6 cups of fresh water (filtered if you can, if not, no problemo)
8 pieces of fresh ginger - sliced ~1/2 inch thick or juice of a 2x2in. piece of ginger for mega-gingery-heat
3 tablespoons of loose leafpremixed chai (I used Zhena's - love them!) or 4 premixed chai sachets
dash of ground spice (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
3 tbsp agave nectar
Pitcher of ice

Boil water with tea blend and ginger slices. Allow to simmer for at least 5 minutes, longer for a stronger brew. Strain the tea, add the agave nectar, and pour over a full glass or pitcher filled entirely with ice. If you are serving to several people omit the nectar and allow them to sweeten to their taste after chilled. Top off the iced chai with the coconut milk and stir and add a light dusting of ground cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg or even cocoa- any spice you have on hand really. Add more or less sweetener to taste. I generally do not like sweet tea but with the coconut and the kick from the spice this is such a treat!

cheers!