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We have to thank three different cultures for this drink. The straw is a mate straw from Argentina. Chai, you know, is Indian. And I think it’s safe to assume that sun tea is American.

I use the mate straw because it has a built in spiral filter on the bottom. Traditionally, it’s used to filter out (drum roll) mate leaves. Now, it’s used to filter out chai spices.

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If you don’t drink the tea all in one day, I would strain the rest, so it doesn’t over steep.

What else? Sun tea is better because you’re brewing at a lower temperature than hot tea, so the tea is less likely to be bitter.

Chai Sun Tea - 1

makes 1 quart (32 oz)

4 bags (or 1/2 oz loose leaf) black tea (use rooibos for a decaf version)
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split in half
6-8 cardamom pods/seeds
1 tsp fennel seed
1 T fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 tsp lavender flowers
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 whole cloves
a couple sprigs of fresh mint
1-3 T honey or agave (optional)
cold water

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1. Combine all herbs, spices, and tea in a glass container with a lid. Mason jars or glass milk jugs work well.
2. Fill with cold water.
3. Set out in the sun 2-3 hours until warm and steeped.
4. Add honey if desired while it is warm so it dissolves.
5. Let cool in the fridge a few hours.
6. Serve over ice with a mate straw or serve filtered.

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