contest winner: ginger and lemongrass chai

something different. something simple. these were my two guiding criteria in choosing a winner for the masala chai recipe contest. three entries stood out.

i loved mimi's originality and refreshing take on 'masala'. what a fab idea to add raspberry and vanilla extract to chai.

i also think that jammy badgers approach - adding the ingredients as is without grinding - is lovely. who said that masala had to be ground?! jammy's entry reminded me of jamie - this is something he would totally advocate. actually jamie might suggest coarsely smashing the whole spices to extract more flavour.

but my favourite entry was nisha's recipe for ginger and lemongrass chai. just love the uniqueness and simplicity of the idea. i tried it this afternoon and indeed it was a winner. the bursting fresh scents of ginger and lemongrass put me in a relaxed and serene mood even before i had sipped the hot chai. a real indulgence for the senses.



here's how nisha suggests brewing the tea.

"smashed up fresh ginger
lemon grass - fresh or dried

brew these two at a really low flame for 10 minutes, then turn the flame up and add your tea powder. turn it off immediately and then add some hot milk."

a little bit of sugar makes the recipe that much more indulgent.

congrats to the winners. a surprise gift coming your way soon. and a big thanks to each of you who took the time to post your recipe. hope everyone enjoyed the contest.