Thirsty Thursday | Gur Wali Chai | Tea With Jaggery | Healthy Winter Beverage | No Sugar Tea

In India, chai is more than just a cup of tea to start the day. Especially, in winter, starting your day with chai is a blissful experience. We have different types of chai staring from masala chai, ginger tea, cardamom chai, and sweeten tea generally sugar is used but in gur wali chai jaggery is used instead of sugar.

Gur Wali Chai

Jaggery is a sweetener that’s becoming popular as a “healthy” replacement for sugar. Jaggery is a kind of unrefined sugar. Raw, concentrated sugarcane juice is boiled until it becomes solid and can be formed into blocks. It has a slight bitterness of molasses and the richness of caramel. It is also a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, selenium & also contains a moderate amount of calcium, phosphorus & zinc, it also helps in the purification of blood. The color can range from light golden to dark brown. This is important, since the color and texture are used to grade the jaggery.

Gur Or Jaggery

A healthier alternative to white refined sugar, jaggery can be used in many Indian desserts leaving a distinct flavor. In Winters, it keeps the body warm, helps treat cold, coughs, and controls the temperature of the body. You can use jaggery in many recipes like chutney, cakes, a sweet recipe like halwa, many more.

Healthy Winter Beverage

Jaggery is a natural sweetener is being recognized as a healthier replacement for sugar. Gur wali chai is healthier compared to tea made with sugar. You will love it if you are a Tea Lover like ME :).

No Sugar Tea

Gur Wali Chai | Tea With Jaggery | Healthy Winter Beverage | No Sugar Tea

Ingredients :
For 2 Cups 
Water – 1 & 1/2 cups
Milk – 3/4 cup
Tea powder – 1 tsp
Roasted fennel powder – 1/2 tsp
Grated ginger – 1/2 inch
Crushed Black pepper powder – 2
Crushed jaggery – 1 medium piece or 4 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat water in a saucepan and allow it to boil.
2. Add tea powder, roasted fennel powder, crushed black pepper with ginger. Boil it for 2-3 minutes.
3. Now add milk and simmer for 3 minutes. Switch off the flame.
4. Add crushed jaggery and mix well. Filter prepared chai into cups.
5. Gur wali chai is ready to serve.

Tips:

1. Adjust jaggery according to your taste.
2. Don’t add jaggery while boiling otherwise chai or tea may curdle. The acidity in the jaggery will curdle chai.

Indian Cappuccino | Hand Beaten Coffee | Two ways – Hot Cappuccino & Hot Chocolate Cappuccino

People’s preference for either tea or coffee is rooted in their genes. Being a Pahadi, Chai is like a drug to us – “One cuppa chai is all we need”.

Beaten coffee is very different from the regular coffee which we make using instant coffee powders. This coffee is deliciously creamy, rich and frothy. I am not a big fan of coffee but I had beaten coffee at my friend’s place and I loved it.

Thank you, Isha Dabral for this wonderful beaten coffee recipe.

The reason it is called Beaten Coffee as the process involves beating the coffee and sugar mixture to incorporate air into it. When hot milk is added to this frothy coffee mixture, it releases air making a thick froth on top of the cup.

The process of beating the mixture though takes a good 20 minutes if using your hands. I used hand blender to beat my coffee mixture and all it takes is 5 minutes for it to reach the perfect light and foamy consistency and the taste is just perfect and no muscle work.

Hand Beaten Coffee | Two ways – Hot Cappuccino & Hot Chocolate Cappuccino

For 2 cups

Ingredients :
Coffee – 2 tsp
Powdered Sugar or Brown Sugar – 4 tsp or ( as per your taste )
Water – 1 tsp
Hot milk – 2 cups
Cocoa powder – 1 tbsp

Method :

1. Mix all the above ingredients ( except hot milk & cocoa powder ) in a cup.
2. Now beat this mixture with a spoon or with hand beater. Beat the mixture continuously for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. After a while, the mixture will be light brown in color and also so thick that it will not drop off the spoon if turned over.
4. Now boil the milk and add 2 tbsp of beaten coffee mixture in a cup and add hot milk. Stir and enjoy.
5. For chocolate flavor, add 1/2 tsp cocoa powder beat the coffee gain for a minute. Then add add 2 tbsp of beaten chocolate coffee mixture in a cup and add hot milk. Stir and sprinkle some chocolate chips.