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Pink Kashmiri Chai Tea

served Hot, Iced, as Basic Popsicles, Greek Yogurt Popsicles, Ice Cream Pops or Slice-Cream Cake
Author: Roseanne Carrara, Summer of Funner

Ingredients

Tea Base

  • 4  c water
  • 2 tbs [heaping] loose Kashmiri Chai tea leaves or good green tea leaves [the latter may not turn pink but you can cheat by using red food colour drops or pink gel colour to achieve the result]
  • 8-10 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick or 4-6 large bits flat cinnamon stick
  • 1 star anise [optional - we did not use it]
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1.5 c additional cold water
  • chopped pistachios and/or chopped almond slivers

For tea and basic popsicles

  • 4 tbs sugar [or a dash salt]
  • 4 c milk simmered for 10 mins and set aside to cool
  • a few tbs coffee cream [optional]

For greek yogurt popsicles

  • 4 tbs sugar or honey
  • 4 c [max] greek yogurt

For ice cream pops or slice-cream cake

  • 4-6 c Vanilla Ice Cream softened

Instructions

MAKE THE TEA BASE!

  • In a stainless steel pot, combine 2 c water, tea leaves, baking soda, salt, dry whole spices.
  • Whisk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Turn heat down to a low simmer and stir occasionally for 35-40 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced and reddened significantly.
  • Add the additional 1 c of water and return to medium-high heat,
  • Bring back to a boil and stir for 10 minutes.
  • Strain tea base through a sieve, discarding the tea leaves and spices.
  • [If, because of your choice of tea, you've not achieved a pinky brown tea base, cheat by adding drops of red food colour or pink icing gel to suit.]

MAKE THE HOT TEA, ICED TEA, OR BASIC POPSICLES

  • Return strained tea base to clean/rinsed stainless steel pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add sugar [or a dash more salt] and whisk to incorporate.
  • Add milk and bring to a boil, whisking well.
  • Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • For Hot Tea: Ladle tea into mugs, add 1-3 tsp cream [optional], and top with pistachios and/or almonds as desired.
  • For Iced Tea: Cool tea and ladle into cups of ice. Top with pistachios and/or almonds as desired.
  • For Popsicles: Use a ladle and funnel to fill popsicle molds almost to the brim. Top with pistachios and/or almonds as desired. Freeze for several hours.

MAKE THE GREEK YOGURT POPSICLES

  • While the strained tea base is still warm, add sugar or honey and whisk until dissolved.
  • Cool sweetened base to room temperature.
  • To 2-4 c greek yogurt, add strained tea base by the small ladle-full or .5 cup  [no need to use all of the base] until you have achieved the colour and creaminess you desire.
  • Fill popsicle molds or, if you like yours pops quite thick, paper cups with popsicle sticks, and freeze for several hours.

MAKE THE ICE CREAM POPS OR SLICE-CREAM CAKE

  • Cool strained, unsweetened base to room temperature.
  • To 2-6 c vanilla ice cream, stir in strained tea base by the small ladle-full or .5 cup  [no need to use all of the base] until you have achieved the colour and creaminess you desire.
  • Stir in pistachio and/or almond bits as desired.
  • For Pops: Fill paper cups with the mixture, insert popsicle sticks, and freeze for several hours. Tear off cups and enjoy! [Get fancy by first spooning a tsp of nuts into each cup and/or by adding nuts on the filled cups.]
  • For Slice-Cream: If desired, spoon a nice layer of pistachio and/or almond pieces into the bottom of  a plastic-lined, parchment-lined, or silicone 8x4 [or equivalent] bread pan.  Fill the pan with softened ice cream mixture. If desired, spoon a nice layer of pistachio and/or almond pieces over the filled pan of ice cream.  Cover, and freeze for several hours. Remove slice-cream to a plate, let sit to soften slightly if necessary, slice, and serve.