Exact quantities, then the method.
Cape Chai Rooibos is a caffeine-free spiced tea, a South African take on chai built on rooibos rather than Black Tea. Like all rooibos it wants a full rolling boil, but the thing that really makes or breaks the cup is time. The whole spices, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove, are slow to release their oils, so this needs a long steep, a full seven minutes, where most teas would be done in three.
Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for the How to Brew Cape Chai Rooibos (Give It a Long Steep) recipe. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/rooibos/how-to-brew-cape-chai-rooibos-give-it-a-long-steep/
Brew it short and you get a rooibos with a faint hint of spice; give it the full seven minutes and you get a proper, warming chai. Because there is no caffeine in it, it is a good one for the evening, when a black-tea masala chai would keep you awake. Finish it with a splash of milk and a little honey for a chai-latte feel, or leave it dark and spicy.
You'll need
- 1 Dragonfly Organic Cape Chai Rooibos tea bag
- 250ml freshly drawn water, brought to a true rolling boil
- A small splash of whole milk to finish, about 2 tablespoons (or barista oat milk for a vegan version)
- 1 tsp acacia honey or raw blossom honey
- A small grating of fresh nutmeg, to finish (optional)
Method
- Bring the kettle to a full rolling boil. The rooibos and the whole chai spices all need the full 100C to give up their oils, so this is one tea you do not let cool first.
- Warm the mug by half-filling it with hot water and tipping it out. Holding the heat matters here, as the spice extraction depends on the water staying hot through a long steep.
- Drop the bag into the warm mug and pour the boiling water straight over, to about a centimetre below the rim.
- Cover with a saucer or tea cosy to keep the spice perfume and the rooibos in the cup.
- Steep, covered, for a full seven minutes. This is the part that matters: four minutes gives a hint of chai, seven gives a proper one. Set a timer and do not cut it short.
- Lift out the bag, press it once against the side to get the last of the spice, and discard.
- For a chai-latte feel, stir in a splash of warm milk, or leave it out for a darker, spicier cup.
- Stir in the honey to taste, then grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top if you like. Drink it hot, while the cardamom is still lifting off the surface.
The tea it is made with, and what to make next.
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Brewed with: Dragonfly Organic Cape Chai Rooibos, 40 Tea Bags 80g
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