Chai - My Version

Google "chai recipe" and you will get many versions with ingredients all over the place.  Some of them I have to wonder if they have ever actually tasted Indian chai.  Many years ago my boss went down to a new Starbucks in our building and picked up her afternoon coffee.  She said down for a meeting, took a tiny sip and choked, "This is tea!".  Needless to say she did not get her fix, but I got the "tea".  Turned out to be chai.  After years of trying to work out how they made it, and finally getting a friend's wife from India to give up her recipe, this is my American taste version.  As it turns out, there is much more ingredients in chai than I was aware of!  If you are from the Middle East, I know your version is much different, but that I have never been able to try that.  

Doc's Chai

For a single serving, heat water to a soft boil (approximately 2 cups) and add the following:

• 2 black tea bags of your choice or use loose tea in a loose tea ball.  Straight black tea works best like China Black or Keemun, maybe Oolong depending upon your tastes
• 2-4 green cardamom pods, to taste (suck on them to soften them, break them open and separate and crush the little black seeds with the flat of a large knife for a stronger flavor)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 11 fennel seeds (do not use more)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ginger (powdered will work, but fresh works best)

Add milk to tea once done, approximately 2 cups or double your water volume.  This will cool the tea down if the milk is cold, so you may need to keep it on a low burner to heat it back up to your desired temperature.  

The spices above should be put into a cloth bag, like a tea bag or a large metal tea strainer.  Bring water just to a boil, turn off, and let simmer for several minutes.

When done add sweetener to taste.  Sugar, honey, and honey crystals all have been tried effectively with each changing the flavor a bit.  I believe honey is the preferred sweetener, but you can find honey crystals with honey and a little sugar.  

A note about ginger - for some areas of India this is only added to chai when a family member is not feeling well. On the other hand, I had an Indian doctor tell me this is necessary for increasing the blood flow in the morning and to set your digestive system in order.  As I enjoy the taste, I figure it is good all the time when I make chai.

Please note, the measurements are meant to vary to the user’s taste.  You can leave out the cloves and fennel seeds and it will taste much like Tazo Chai, for example. You will also find the amount of cardamom is very much to your taste.  As you get used to the cardamom, the amount you use will increase.  Once you get used to it, try smashing the seeds and see how much that changes the flavor again.  

Let the recipe grow with you.  While there are many variants, I have found this basic recipe works for me without adding vanilla or any of the other flavorings.  

Enjoy and have fun exploring the flavors!

New Recipe - Chocolate Indian Brownies

It has been some time since I posted a recipe due to the fact I was posting them on Facebook, but alas and alack I am no longer on Facebook.  So, I will post some here again.  I met a nice lady named Maria today who was in desperate need of chocolate brownies, so I let her know this may cover what she needed.  Here we go!

Ingredients:

• 1 C sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup butter
• 1 Cup flour
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa (you can use less if you do not really like chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Melt cocoa and butter in saucepan.

Add in pan (beat by hand) in the following order:

    Sugar

    Eggs

    Flour

    Vanilla

Pour batter in pan and bake.

Use 8 inch pan, or 9x13 if doubling the recipe

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes (what is called a slow oven)

If you need icing on it, and just cannot live with simple powdered sugar on top, here you go:

• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 4 Tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Mix in a pan on stove and under low heat cook for 5 - 10 minutes.  Mix egg into the other ingredients but do not cook so hot it cooks the egg.  If it is still too thick, thin with water or a little more cream.  

Enjoy, and unless you are a sugar fiend, just try the brownies without the icing first.  You should be quite happy that way.  Feedback welcomed, but please have fun making, and more fun eating!

Thoughts on a Christian's Armor

You can read about the armour of God in Ephesians chapter 6. While I have read this many times and heard sermons on it, but keeping in mind we read a living, breathing word of God, we should expect for the Holy Spirit to show us new things each time we read passages. I enjoy finding new nuggets, but I noticed something this time I had missed, so wanted to walk you through the verses and see if you see what I did. I hope this helps someone who needs it. 

We find Paul going through another one of his fun doctrinal treatises. I have to say I really enjoy Paul due to his great knowledge. He does not try to talk down, he expects us to read up and challenges us to understand what he is teaching. Yes, this can get very deep with Paul. Let us walk through the verses. 

Ephesians 6:10, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." His opening premise is that we need to be strong in the Lord, but he expects us to understand how to live the Christian life with His power. 

Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Here we learn a few new things. First off, "wiles.". We all can think of Wiley Coyote as our inspiration growing up, but he was a poor example of the true nature, just the humor side. The word 'wiles' here can also be 'strategy'. The angel of light, satan, runs around trying to harm Christians. Paul, who knows all about this and explains more next verse, is passing on his experience and wisdom. 

Ephesians 6;12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Paul is letting us peak behind the curtain at one of the scariest images we could see. Looking at it without faith would cripple us. In Hebrews 12:22 Paul references "an innumerable company of angels." These are the created beings from whom Lucifer ripped a 1/3 of them away for his purposes. This is the 'rulers of darkness referenced above. Very dangerous group unless we are dressed correctly to meet them. 

Ephesians 6:13, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." James 4:7 tells us "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Remember, resisting the devil while armoured up means satan actually runs away. Yes, the minions, also. 

Ephesians 6:14, "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;" Truth. This word to a non-Christian cannot mean anything. They have no reference for it. They have to come to the truth with the help of the Holy Spirit, so do not push them, just pray for their conviction. For us, though, our truth is the Bible. If we do not stay in it daily we lose our daily truth from God. We get what we need, but only if we read the Bible daily. Doing so helps us to do right. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. had an old chapel saying that we loved, "“Do right ‘till the stars fall! Do right!" He did not say it calmly, so it left a memory. We are to wear the breastplate of righteousness. Once we have bad thoughts or do things we should not, immediate repentance is necessary. Just a reminder to repent means to turn 180 degrees away, not do it again and again. Apologizing for that behavior over and over is not repentance nor will it get you forgiveness. So, do right! 

Ephesians 6:15, "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;" Romans 10:15 says, "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Have you noticed how no one smiles much anymore, and the Golden Rule seems to have expired. Peace, true peace, can only come through Christ. Being kind to everyone is being a good witness, and the gospel is peace. Peace from sin, peace from the world, so do not be afraid to spread peace. 

Ephesians 6:16, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." So, what is faith, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." from Hebrews 11:1. The roman shields were built to stop the darts, and could be piled together in a puzzle way to cover them from arrows, even overhead. They were known for this and it was so effective their foes did not stand a chance. Consider this, God made your shield, so it is even better. 

Ephesians 6:17, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Salvation, the key component of the 7 pieces of armour. Without salvation, neither component can exist. Once we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit moves in. We learn in Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." that points out how the word of God is sharper than a sword. Using God's word fight the powers is what God intends. We must stay in the word, and memorizing really helps. You would be suprised how many years after learning something you can recall it when needed thanks to the Holy Spirit's help. 

Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" I will admint prayer isn't something that I remember all the time, but when I do I find a quiet I often need. Pray before reading the Bible. Pray after. Pray for your friends and family, and any unsaved. Pray for your job, and your concerns. "Praying always", well, means to pray always. 

Ephesians 6:19, "And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel," Ah, here is the summary I had missed before. While each piece of armor is built to help protect us daily, Paul had a goal. He wanted to have help opening his mouth boldly with the mystery of the gospel. I had never noticed this was all about witnessing. With all this information, it suddenly made sense. Paul was driven to preach and spread the gospel, which of course he did successfully in many countries and cities. So, in closing, if you are having trouble witnessing, just remember to get dressed correctly before! This should very much be a morning thing, but I have also found reading the Bible before bed means I sleep better. Find what works best for you, but do it daily and do not miss it!