Hello all your gorgeous munchers!
This is the spice I use in my black sesame and chai spice energy balls. It is pretty cosmic, and adds warmth to anything it smooches.
A teaspoon of chai will dazzle crumbles, cakes and bakes. We love it sprinkled on top of foamy hot chocolates with some crunchy cacao nibs and woolly socks by the fire.
I first published this recipe for DIY chai on my legacy website (now deleted, as I have fully migrated to Substack). As soon as the recipe was taken down, I received emails looking for it. So here it is!
What is chai?
Chai is an orgy of healthy spices that has become a sensation across certain postcodes of Cork and Dublin. Here’s why. There is ginger to warm your tonsils; cinnamon to ignite your toes; nutmeg and clove to get you in the mood for all-things-autumn; and cardamom to excite your synapses.
Spices can be dastardly expensive and wasteful. Most recipes only call for small amounts, so what's the point in buying big supermarket packets? I recommend ordering the exact quantity you need, from as little as 10g, at specialist zero waste refill stores. Check out thegoodneighbour.ie and paxwholefoodsecogoods.com for example where you can buy this recipe in its entirety, no excess, no waste, no plastic.
Ever tried chai in coffee?
Dirty chai (the official Aussie term) is my autumn battery. I just add a pinch to my French press or cold brew, and let the spices perform acts that only a defibrillator could rival.
For a beautiful, comforting, autumnal breakfast, try this amaranth pud using today’s chai spice and staling sourdough. It’s the perfect weekend late breakkie. Chai is also crazy-delicious with flaky sea salt and sprinkled on top of this wholefood banoffee pie.
Love, light and chai-fives,
SJ
x
// DIY Chai Spice//
3 tablespoons green cardamom pods
4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 whole star anise (optional)
Fresh crack of the black pepper mill
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
Coax the cardamom seeds out of their papery pods. You can compost the pods, and then transfer the seeds into a coffee grinder or Nutribullet.
Add the remaining ingredients, and grind into a fine powder. That's it!
Store in a screw-topped jar and use within 5 months. A pinch is all you need on top of hot chocolate, or 1-2 teaspoons in cakes and bakes.
