Masterchef Chai Syrup
We are absolutely thrilled to announce the incredibly talented Nidhi Mahajan who starred in Masterchef series 8 has developed a very special chai recipe for us to share with you.
Nidhi is a huge fan of our chai and has used it in many recipes, including Naan Khatai and Rosemary and Fennel chai smoked rice. Incredible!
The recipe we are sharing with you today is a Saffron, Cardamom and Rose chai syrup. Perfect for iced tea, mocktails, cocktails, baking, ice creams, toppings, or milkshakes, you're going to love this.
Here is Nidhi's method and recipe:
Ingredients
- Chairoom’s Saffron, Cardamom and Rose chai – 4 tbsps. Order here: Saffron Cardamom & Rose Chai
- Black tea leaves- 2 tbsp (I added these for the intense taste and colour) can be skipped
- Cane sugar – 1 cup (or coconut sugar)
- Water 3 cups
Utensils
Saucepan, fine strainer or mesh, sterilised glass bottle or jar.
Method
- In a medium sized saucepan add in water, Chai, and black tea leaves. Boil for 5 minutes and remove from the heat and let the tea and spices steep for 10 minutes covered.
- For this step either you can strain the tea and spices and add in sugar to the water. Or you can add in sugar to the tea leaves still in water and reduce. I found the second made the syrup more tannin heavy and was bitter and kind of liked it. It’s totally up to how you prefer they syrup to be.
- Boil and reduce the liquid on simmer till it gets a syrup consistency. It will get a little thicker when cool.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and pour into a sterilized bottle or jar.
- Store the syrup in the fridge.
Now for some recipes from Nidhi which feature the Chai Syrup!
Chaijito
A refreshing mocktail with Chai Room Saffron Cardamom Chai Syrup, muddled mint and lemon juice and topped with ice and soda!
Ingredients
- Chairoom Saffron Cardamom Syrup 2 tbsp
- Mint Leaves 8-10 washed
- Lime juice 1 tbsp
- Brown sugar – 1 tsp
- Sparkling water or lemonade or sprite – 125 mls
- Ice – lots
- Lime slices to garnish
Method
- Place mint leaves, lime juice and brown sugar in a glass and muddle them for a minute or so, it should leave an aroma.
- Add the Chairoom syrup.
- Add the sparkling water and top up with ice cubes
- Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!
Chai Room Island Iced Tea (CIIT) Serves 2
- 30 ml Vodka
- 30 ml Dry gin
- 30 ml Tequila
- 30 ml Rum
- 40 ml Chairoom’s Chai Syrup
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 300 mls Soda water
- 2 lime wedges and mint to garnish
- Ice cubes
Method
- Pour the vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and The Chai Room’s Chai Syrup into a jug and add lime juice to taste. Half fill the jug with ice, then stir until the outside feels cold.
- Add the soda then stir to combine. Drop in the lime wedges.
- Fill 2 tall glasses with more ice cubes and pour in the iced tea and enjoy!
Let me know when you've tried it, or if you have an alcohol free version to share. Nidhi recommends the beautiful syrup for milkshakes, iced tea and mocktails too! Yum.