Delicious Cardamom Tea Recipes For A Spicy Sensation

Cardamom is a popular culinary spice that can also be used to make tasty teas. The pungent spice offers a smoky aroma and refreshing minty note that is perfect for winter or summer. The spice can be infused as an iced tea or a hot tea and offers a flavor profile that can be paired with citrusy or spicy notes.

Learn how to make a tasty cup of tea with these fun cardamom tea recipes. Flavors like spicy ginger and cool hibiscus are sure to keep you on your toes or you can opt for a simple straightforward cardamom tea brew.

What is Cardamom Tea?

Cardamom tea is made by infusing ground cardamom powder or whole cardamom pods in hot water. There are two types of cardamom that can be used: green cardamom and black cardamom.

Green cardamom usually consists of full pods and is harvested when the seeds are young. Black cardamom is dried and the seeds are typically removed before tea brewing. Green cardamom offers a sweet flavor while black cardamom is stronger and pungent.

Both types of cardamom boast potential health benefits including improved digestion, irritable bowel syndrome symptom relief, cavity prevention, and decreased risk of heart disease though much of the research has been in the lab or on animals. Cardamom may also help to fight the bacteria that cause bad breath. In addition, cardamom contains antioxidants that may help to decrease inflammation (1).

The tea has very few side effects and can be consumed throughout the day. Since it is an herbal tea, it does not contain any caffeine. The tea may interact with certain medications so make sure to consult a qualified healthcare professional before consuming if you take any medications or have a medical condition.

Simple Cardamom Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water
• 2 cardamom pods
• Cinnamon, agave, or honey as a sweetener.

Instructions:

1. Use a temperature-controlled tea kettle or a stovetop pan to bring water to a rapid boil.
2. Turn the heat down to low and add the spices. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
3. To serve as a hot tea, pour into a teacup and sweeten using your desired sweetener. For iced tea, let the mixture cool to room temperature before serving over ice cubes.

Ginger Cardamom and Hibiscus Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces fresh ginger - thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh cardamom pods
• 2 teaspoons Cup & Leaf  Egyptian Hibiscus Petal Tea
• 6 cups water

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a rapid boil using a tea kettle or stovetop pan.
2. Remove from heat and add in the spices and loose leaf tea.
3. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and use a fine mesh strainer to remove the spices.
4. Serve the tea in tall glasses over ice cubes or store in the refrigerator for later use.

Recipe Notes:

This recipe can be made sweeter with the addition of honey or sugar. If using a solid sweetener like cane sugar or brown sugar, add the sweetener in when the tea mixture is still hot. If you want to sweeten the tea once it's cold, use a liquid sugar such as simple syrup or agave.

Masala Chai With Cardamom Tea Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon Cup & Leaf Indian Spiced Chai Black Tea
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 green cardamom pod
• Dash of milk (almond milk, buffalo milk, coconut milk, or dairy milk)

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a rapid boil in a large saucepan.
2. Remove the pan from heat and add in the spices and tea leaves.
3. Steep the black tea leaves for 1 to 3 minutes before removing using a strainer. Leave the cinnamon and cardamom seeds in for a few minutes longer for a more aromatic flavor.
4. Serve in a teacup with a cinnamon stick as garnish.

Recipe Notes:

Masala chai can also be made using freshly ground spices instead of loose-leaf blends or tea bags. We recommend brewing chai tea using cloves, cardamom, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and black peppercorns. These are the five basic chai staples, but you can also use other spices such as fennel seeds and anise. Use 1 teaspoon of each spice for every two cups of water. Grind the spices using a mortar and pestle until they are extremely fine. Add the spices to boiling water and simmer on low for 5 minutes.

You can drink the chai as is or turn it into a milk tea latte with the addition of steamed milk. Serve in a teacup with a dash of milk to add a creamy texture that balances out the spiced notes. Add a sweetener such as nutmeg, cinnamon sugar, or brown sugar as desired.