Recipe: Ayurvedic Chilled Chocolate Chai

In the summer, it’s hot, and Pitta dosha is high. While sweetness is to be enjoyed moderately and intentionally, it is a taste that is soothing for Pitta, as is anything cool or cooling by nature. I know I love a sweet treat at some point in the afternoon, but lately I’ve become a lot more selective with what I’m ingesting because I want to reduce inflammation in my body and support my body’s natural healing processes and overall harmony.

I also have learned in my studies of Ayurveda that the seat of all health, which very much includes our immunity, is based in the digestion. Here in the West we are taught that “we are what we eat,” but Ayurveda helps us see that actually “we are what we digest.” When we become more intentional about what we are ingesting, and how well we are digesting (processing and assimilating the nutrients we ingest), we can support our bodies in more optimal overall health.

When it comes to enjoying something sweet, I personally gravitate toward something creamy and chocolatey, which is how I found my way to an amazing “Chai Hot Chocolate” in a beautiful Ayurvedic lifestyle and recipe book I found last winter. This recipe is perfect for a cozy cool morning or evening, but what about in the heat of summer? I decided to adapt it to my own desires to create a “Chilled Chocolate Chai,” which I’ve included for you below:

Prep: 5 minutes

Prepare: 5 minutes

Yields: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of hot milk (or milk substitute of choice)

5-6 tablespoons of raw cacao powder

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

2-3 teaspoons of ghee

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

2-3 cloves (or 2 pinches of ground clove)

PREPARATION