This lovely summer drink is the perfect pick-me-up for those days when the heat feels oppressive and you just can’t seem to muster the energy to carry through the afternoon. You can easily make this dish to suit any diet, changing out the half & half for coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any combination thereof. A dollop of coconut cream floating across the top takes it over the top. I’ve opted for honey here, to make it more natural, but you can certainly add a equal amount of sugar instead.
Course Drinks
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time 7minutes
Total Time 12minutes
Servings 4
Calories 108kcal
Author Stephanie Stiavetti
Ingredients
4cupswater
1/2vanilla beansliced open lengthwise
1wholecinnamon stick
1/2-inchknobfresh gingerchopped coarsely
1wholestar anise
2wholecardamom pods
4wholecloves
6wholeblack peppercornscracked
1pinchcumin seeds
4black or green tea bags
1/4cuphoney
1pinchsalt
Ice
half & halfto taste
Instructions
Bring water to boil over medium heat. Add vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, ginger, star anise, cardamom pod, cloves, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Boil spices for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and strain out spices.
Return pot to low heat. Add tea bags and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, removing tea bags before the tea turns bitter. Add honey and a pinch of salt, stirring to make sure honey is entirely dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Fill four glasses with ice, then add tea so that the glasses are 3/4 full. Top off remainder of glass with half and half. Stir gently, and enjoy.