Tea With Basil Leaves
Tulsi Chai
Abha Gupta
Note from Mamta: This recipe is from my elder sister Abha, who lives in Lucknow in India. It tastes very refreshing. It is said that if you drink this tea first thing every morning, it helps to reduce weight.
You can make a pan full of it, without the milk, in the morning and keep in the fridge. You can enjoy it through the day, hot or cold. Here, the pictures show it made with milk.
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients
5 1/2 cup water water
10 basil leaves (tree basil or Shyama Tulsi, also known as Krishna Tulsi is best)
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
4 green cardamoms* roughly crushed
1 tsp. crushed fennel seeds*, crushed
4 cloves/laung*, crushed
6 black peppers*, crushed
1 cinnamon stick* of 5-6 cm., crushed
1 tsp. honey/sugar per cup, to taste
Tea leaves to taste
Milk, as per your choice. It an be, and often is, made without milk.
Instructions
Place all ingredients, except milk, in a pan and bring to boil. Then simmer briskly for 5-10 minutes, on medium heat. This allows the flavours of whole spices to infuse into the water.
Add milk and just heat it through, do not boil.
Strain and discard solids.
Serve hot, with 1 tsp. honey/sugar per cup or to taste.
When made without milk, it can be chilled and kept in the fridge all day. To serve, pour over ice cubes in a tall glass.
