Strawberry Rose Masala Chai - for two!

For many years we’ve taught a festive Valentine’s Indian cooking class menu laced with beautiful, aromatic Indian spices. I always end the cooking class with a sweetheart of treat — Strawberry Rose Masala Chai. It’s velvety smooth, spicy and sweet and a beautiful ending to an Indian meal.

The flavour of Arvinda’s Chai Masala is comforting, kind of like a cozy warm blanket. By adding strawberry and rose flavours, this comforting chai can turn into something more romantic.

Rosewater or rose essence is a common flavouring to Indian sweets, desserts and mitai and evokes romance, mystery and the exotic. Indians drink a rose syrup milky drink called Falooda–something I will have to tell you about in a future post!

Rose essence is available at most Indian grocers. If you cannot find it, omit it–the strawberry soy milk on its own is enough.

This week I’m serving my Strawberry Rose Masala Chai perfect for our Indian Valentine’s Day menus!
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I used Natur-a Strawberry Organic Soy beverage for this recipe.

Strawberry Rose Masala Chai

Ingredients:
1 cups cold filtered water
2 tsp. black loose-leaf tea (or 1 black tea bag)
½ tsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala
1 cup Natur-a Organic Strawberry Soy Beverage
3-4 drops rose essence (optional)

Method: In a medium-sized pot, bring cold filtered water to a boil.

Add black loose-leaf tea and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add Arvinda’s Chai Masala and continue boiling for another 2 minutes.

Add soy milk and bring to a boil again. Stir in rose essence. Strain into tea cups and enjoy! Serves 2.
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It's a sweetheart of a treat!

A teaspoon of: Sloan. Listening to: The Answer Was You.

Curried Celery Soup, an easy winter warmer. Garnish however you like. Here is a presentation with celery leaves, truffle oil and light cream.

I went out for a walk without a scarf or gloves to soon discover the bright sunshine was masked with a bitter cold edge. Looks are deceiving!

Although it’s pleasant for the month of February, I realize we’re still not out of the cold yet! A friend reminded me yesterday the snow is on its way—if not now, possibly in April!

Sniffling with a nippy nose, I tossed celery, a carrot and a couple of potatoes in a pressure cooker for the easiest soup ever! No oil, no onions to fry and lots of good curry flavour, this was an easy, healthy winter warm up dish.

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Curried Celery Soup

Ingredients:
1 celery head, washed with tops trimmed, cubed
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Arvinda’s Curry Masala
2 bay leaves
½ cup skim milk
water

Optional garnishes:
light cream
truffle or hazelnut oil
Arvinda’s Garam Masala
celery leaves (or tops), for presentation

Method: In a medium pot, boil celery, potatoes and carrot with 2 cups of water. Add salt. Cover with lid and gently boil until vegetables well cooked (approximately 15-20 minutes). I cooked mine in a pressure cooker to save time.

Using a hand blender, purée vegetables until smooth. Stir in Arvinda’s Curry Masala and bay leaves. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Stir in skim milk. Thin out with more water and add salt to taste.

Garnish as desired.
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This soup recipe may not have all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a 5-star soup–it is meant to be quick, easy to prepare and healthy. I was debating whether to strain it out to make the soup nice and smooth but then thought to myself, why get rid of all the good fibre!? So it stayed!

Feel free to add garlic and onions infused in oil at the beginning of the recipe and substitute cream for skim milk if you’re feeling more indulgent.  Choose one or more of the optional garnishes to add more layers of flavour to this soup.

A teaspoon of: Coldplay. Listening to: Every Tear Drop Is A Waterfall.

It's well-known Indian weddings are as much about the eating...as the dancing!

When I’ve described Indian weddings to someone who has never been to one before, the response always seems to be the same–I want to go to an Indian wedding!

This is probably because it’s well-known that Indian weddings are full of colour, pomp and pageantry (often lasting for days!)…and feasting on delicious foods.

My cousin Jaimini recently got married and I caught a few snaps of the foods served (not all but some) to share with you.

Between two weddings in Toronto and Los Angeles, there were plenty of eating opportunities and lots of rounds of delicious food! Unfortunately I didn’t have a reliable camera on hand, so this is what I captured on my phone camera (just a warning in advance for the grainy shots!).

Wedding chaat for a pre-party ~ layers of chick peas, potatoes, sev (lentil noodles), red onions and chutneys.

Masala eggs with mustard seeds, tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

Stir-fry okra.

Shrimp pakoras and samosas too!

Pappadums ~ lentil wafers.

A famous South Indian crab curry.

Green Bean Thoren ~ a South Indian specialty.

Aloo Gobi with Eggplant ~ Cauliflower, Potato and Eggplant Curry.

An AMAZING Red Onion Pachadi ~ a yogurt condiment. I think this was my most favourite item I sampled at this wedding, made by the groom

Naan, daal (lentil curry) and basmati pullao.

And no Indian wedding is complete without Ras Malai ~ paneer dumplings enrobed in a cardamom and saffron milk. Heavenly!

Both bride and groom looked amazing. Can I just say, my cousin Jaimini looked exceptionally stunning! Photo credit: Ken Lau, Photographer.

Guests left with some Indian cooking inspiration!

And we ended by watching the sun set in Santa Monica!

The best foods are served at weddings!

What is the most delicious food you’ve eaten at a wedding?

A teaspoon of: Eddie Vedder. Listening to: Without You.

A winter warming comfort food ~ Masoor Daal curry.

Nothing says winter warming comfort better than an Indian daal dish. Daal or dal, is a lentil curry. We refer to the uncooked “dry” lentils as daal as well.

Daal is simple to make. For the recipe below, we’re using red lentils (masoor daal) which is widely available and is a good source of dietary fibre, protein and essential amino acids. Lentils are also considered to be an iron-rich food!

The protein content in masoor dal is also impressive – 100g (lentils) uncooked gives you 22g of protein!

Have a peek at how easy it is to prepare:

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Masoor Daal ~ Red Lentil Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup red lentils
2 cups water
½ tsp. sea salt or salt to taste
1 tbsp. ghee or butter
½ onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. Arvinda’s Curry Masala
1 tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped to garnish (optional)
½ tsp. Arvinda’s Garam Masala, to garnish

Method: Wash lentils in several changes of water or until it runs clear. Soak in warm water for 15-20 minutes.
In a pot, add lentils with water and salt. Cover and gently simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes, until lentils are thoroughly cooked. Add extra water if necessary.

In a separate pan, heat ghee or butter on medium heat. Add onions and fry until golden brown. Add Arvinda’s Curry Masala and mix with onions.

Add cooked lentils. Simmer for 6-8 minutes or until lentils have thickened. Add salt to taste if necessary.

Remove in a serving dish and garnish with Arvinda’s Garam Masala and cilantro. Serve with basmati rice and Indian flatbread to make a healthy, well-balanced meal. Serves 4.

To print recipe, click here.
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What are your favourite winter warming dishes?

A teaspoon of: Feist. Listening to: So Sorry.

Til Papdi ~ Sesame Snaps for Lohri celebrations.

Ten years ago was the first time I came to know about Lohri when I got invited to a Lohri party. Lohri is an Indian festival celebrated on the eve of the winter’s solstice-the longest day of the year–in the state of Punjab, the ‘breadbasket’ of India.

Not growing up in India, all I heard about was how fun Lohri was and how everyone loved Lohri. Although I didn’t make it to the Lohri party that year, since then I long to be in India for Lohri!

On my last trip to India, I missed Lohri celebrations in Delhi by a week. We still caught the tail-end of the festival...

Lohri is a harvest celebration to bid adieu of winter and welcome a fruitfulness for the upcoming season. Being very cold in January during the winter solstice, the festival is marked with a bonfire where offerings of til (sesame seeds), popcorn, jaggery, various nuts and sweets are thrown into the fire. People sing songs around the fire and it’s a joyous time of togetherness.

Til Ladoos ~ sweets made from sesame seeds...

...for a Lohri party!

This year (finally!) I had a chance to celebrate Lohri–albeit with an indoor fire rather than outdoor bonfire. We made sweets made from seasame seeds and jaggery including this simple one, Til Papdi ~ Sesame Snaps. Here is the recipe:
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Til Papdi ~ Sesame Snaps

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup jaggery or sugar
1/4 tsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala (optional)

Method: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 250F.

In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Add sugar and gently boil for ten minutes or until it slightly thickens. Fold in Arvinda’s Chai Masala.

Arrange sesame seeds in a thin layer on parchment paper. Gently pour sugar solution over sesame seeds, being sure to cover all the seeds.

Bake in over for 15-20 minutes until sugar crystallizes. Cool and break into pieces. Eat as a Lohri snack; also makes a nice garnish for ice cream.

This sweet is usually thrown into the bonfire and eaten as well during Lohri.

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A teaspoon of: Snow Patrol. Listening to: Signal Fire.

I used to have this theory that odd years (as in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007…) were lucky and even years (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010…) were not so good for me.

I started noticing my best life experiences—exciting travel to new destinations, benchmark moments (like starting my business) or new adventures—always happened during these ‘odd’ years. After one of those enthralling “odd” years of amazing experiences and turning a page to the next, I already set myself up with idea the year was not going to be as good as the one earlier. These “even” years always seemed to be the most trying of times brimming with life’s trials and tribulations, hence I formed this silly, crazy theory of mine.

I’m sure this was all in my head.

With the start of 2012 however, I’m convinced this theory doesn’t hold water. I now realize whether the year is even or odd, every year is going to get better than the last. It’s in our hands to create the life we want to live and do the things that help us find inner peace and true happiness.

This week the media saturated us with the do’s and dont’s for the New Year. Of all the tips out there, one expert said something that really resonated with me. Dr. Joey Shulman, nutritionist and health expert said, this is the year to do it (to achieve weight loss goals, to feel invigorated, to eat better…). All other years we made the same promises, but there is something really special about 2012. It just seems like a year we can do it all. I like that positive thought.

I’m feeling especially positive and happy with the arrival of 2012 and it does feel like we can do it all! Just as a good red wine tastes better with age, I too believe we become wiser, better, happier and more comfortable in our own skin with every passing calendar year. As Shania Twain–who had her share of hardships over the last few years—says, “we’re only going up from here!” Well said.

This Ayurvedic Turmeric Milk (aka my 'healthy cocktail') is what I take to fight colds during the flu season. Hope it can bring you some comfort if you're feeling ill. It works wonders!

To start the year off on a good foot, I’m sharing with you an Ayurvedic turmeric “cocktail” (my kinda cocktail!) for good health, one that I take if coming down with a sore throat or cold. The turmeric is an anti-inflammatory and soothes a sore throat when taken with honey, chai spices and black pepper. This recipe was passed down from my great-grandfather, a true practitioner of Ayurvedic remedies and lifestyle and is definitely a lifesaver for me through cold and flu season!
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Ayurvedic Turmeric Milk

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
½ tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala
¼ tsp. ajwain seeds (optional)
black pepper (optional)
pinch salt
honey, to taste

Method: In a pot, bring milk to a boil. Add spices and boil for 1-2 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. Serves 1.
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Here’s wishing you a wonderful, happy, healthy and beautiful 2012!

A teaspoon of: Shania. Listening to: Up.

Thank you for The Versatile Blogger Award!

I’m so grateful to have this platform to share with you my recipes, snippets of Indian culture, holidays and festivals, share my travel experiences and more. Thank you for your support, kind words of encouragement and wonderful feedback—it means so much to me!

In the spirit of receiving the award, I am required to thank awesome blogger Meenakshi of MasalaArt for the recognition, share with you 7 things about myself and pass this forward to 15 great bloggers.

So first things first…7 things about myself:

1) Lover of the 80s: Remember the retro popcorn maker or the fondue set you may have stashed in your basement? To me those are the coolest things ever. That and Corey Hart, Michael J. Fox, Back To The Future, Fruit Roll Ups, The Goonies, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Young Blood, ET, Transformers, Roots, Dr. Snuggles, Three’s Company, Footloose, U2, Cabbage Patch Kids, Bryan Adams, A-Ha, The Bangles, Duran Duran, Wham!, Knight-Rider, MacGyver, Your Wildest Dreams, Dirty Dancing, The Secret of My Success, John Mellencamp, Overboard, leg warmers and fingerless gloves (both which I still wear today!)… Wow, that was a trip down memory lane! To me there was something magical about the 80s or it could be that I just liked it because it was a part of growing up.

2) In high school was on the boys wrestling team for 3 years!

3) Am a vegetarian by choice: My turning point and transition to vegetarianism was about 11 years ago when I was at a banquet-style family dinner. There was a leg of lamb sitting in front of me, making me feel uncomfortable as I made the connection of ‘animal-to-plate’. Causing me some turbulence within, I researched factory farming by reading books like Diet For A New America (by John Robbins, HJ Kramer, 1998) and My Year of Meats (by Ruth L. Ozeki, Penguin, 1999) opening my eyes to the ill-treatment of animals. My choice to become a vegetarian was to live a more ethical and humane life that is better for the environment–and I’ve never looked back! I don’t eat soups with chicken broth and avoid cheeses containing rennet.

4) I’m a true believer of karma: A kind word or gesture never goes unnoticed. For every action is a reaction. This is what I go by.

5) I like to run: If it wasn’t for the saying, “Be the captain of your own ship,” I would have never got into running. My first race was the 2003 Nike 10km on Centre Island in Toronto. At the time I didn’t know any runners nor had an idea what it took to run a 10km race. Looking for an outlet during a rough period in my life, I decided I was going to run this race whether I had a training partner or not! With minimal training (only a couple of weeks!), running with improper footwear, no previous running experience, no proper technique in place I managed a decent ‘first race’ 10km time of 50:08 which I’m proud of even today! Most of all it was a very memorable day that was a life-changer. Although I’m not an avid runner today, I continue to run and can slip back into it quite easily. I think it’s time to sign up for another race!

Nike 10km in July 2003, my first race ever! Because I was happy with my race time and how I felt, this experience and very memorable day kept me motivated to keep running. One day is all that it took!

6) As you may already know, I’m a huge music fan with an ear for a range of musical genres– everything from Feist to U2, Sloan to Snow Patrol, Sam Roberts Band to Incubus, Sade to Norah Jones, Sarah Slean to Juanes, Bombay Bicycle Club to Bright Eyes, Crystal Castles to Diana Krall, Michael Jackson to Broken Social Scene, Stone Temple Pilots to Queens Of The Stone Age, Radiohead to Neil Diamond (did I just say that!), Neil Young to Young The Giant, Paul Simon to Julio Iglesias, Calexico to Shania, Matthew Good to Junior Boys, Arcade Fire to Ohbijou, Malajube to Karkwa, Enrique Iglesias (‘closet-like!’) to Buble, Top 40 stuff like Rihanna that you can dance to when in the mood to The Strokes to Sinatra …you know I can keep going on and on! I’ve said it before, music and cooking—what a great way to spend an evening. Crazy concert person too, I have a minor obsession with setlists.

7) My mantra is: Simple pleasures are the essence of life!
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And here are 15 favourite blogs right now:

A Dash Of Compassion: Natural Vegan Baking, With Love – Having a sweet tooth myself I resonate with Nicole’s delicious baking recipes. I love all recipes are natural!

A Girl And Her Carrot: Where Joy is Rooted in a Healthy Lifestyle. Food. Nutrition. Yoga-and sometimes a cupcake - Yoga instructor and nutritionist, Jen offers healthy recipes, kind words of compassion all in one. Inspiring to live a better life!

Anthimeria - If you want to read something personal and touching, you need to read Maria’s blog about life in her kitchen. I really enjoy her writing style.

Arun Shanbhag – Professor Arun Shanbhag writes about Indian life, food and culture often including stories about his daughter, Meera. Love the India food reviews!

Body By Nature: Keepin’ It Real – Dani is a nutritionist who gives valuable information about the power of our food for healing and for good health. Great posts on quinoa and coconut. Inspiring to eat your way to better health!

Cookbook Store Blog - Any real foodie wanting to stay ‘with it’ on food trends, cookbooks and food celebrities need to read this blog!

Eat, Spin, Run, Repeat - Fitness instructor Angela shares fitness tips and good food recipes. Her Try Something New Tuesdays is encouraging to try new things!

Fiesta Farms: Food Matters - Ethical, local and sustainable eating and thoughts, what’s hot, what’s not, good food and great food ideas – it’s all here!

Jolly Vindaloo – If you’re looking for Indian vegetarian recipes this is what Meghna writes about. Very inspiring food shots makes you want to recreate her vegetarian dishes.

Marion Kane Food Sleuth – Food columnist Marion Kane shares with us her food musings and recipes as she sleuths the latest trends and frequently asked food questions.

Nettie Cronish: The Enlightened Pantry - Cookbook author, vegetarian cooking instructor and chef Nettie Cronish, gives readers insight into healthy cooking and expert, well-researched information on pantry ingredients and natural cooking.

Oh She Glows - Vegan cooking expert Angela takes us on a personal journey of her path to a healthy lifestyle through her vegan recipes. Angela never fails to inspire!

Tokyo Terrace – An American living in Japan, Rachel shares her life and recipes of cooking abroad. Stunning photography!

Vegan Culinary Crusade – The lovely vegan Lisa, teaches us about compassion through a vegan lifestyle. You’ll especially love her recent posts on her trip to India.
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Although the 80s evokes much nostalgia within me, nothing beats living life in the present! Enjoying the present, cherishing our friendships, being grateful for family and meaningful relationships we have right now is what we have to live for.

So with that and Oprah’s words, “Live your best life,” have a happy 2012 and make this a great one! Cheers for a happy night!

A teaspoon of: Moody Blues. Listening to: Your Wildest Dreams.

Curried Cranberry & Almond Quinoa adds some subtle Indian flavours to the holiday table.

On Christmas day my family like everyone else’s celebrates with a big meal – but one that’s definitely free of curries! Some years we like to switch things up. One year I had an Italian themed Christmas celebration—everything from the wine to baked pasta stuffed with spinach and ricotta, to the panettone for dessert was eaten with some Italian flair. Buon Natale!

Ten years ago I celebrated Christmas Eve in Mexico experiencing vibrant and colourful Christmas festivities coming alive as night fell. It was fun talking to locals as they boarded on and off the public bus, family by family in their ‘Sunday’s best’ en route to midnight mass. After a long day of being out in the city, we grabbed some hot and sugary churros in the square and headed to the beachside to have our own Christmas celebrations…with tequila if I can remember correctly (argh!).

Christmas Eve in Mexico, ten years ago ~ Feliz Navidad!

Although my family keeps our Christmas dinner with a holiday theme, I do like at least one dish with a bit of spice. Can’t help it, this is what my palate demands!

Last Christmas it was Curried Mashed Sweet Potatoes. This year it’ll be Curried Cranberry & Almond Quinoa. Danielle of Body by Nature made something similar last year using Arvinda’s Madras Masala and this year I wanted Quinoa to be a part of my Christmas dinner too.

My recipe uses Arvinda’s Curry Powder, so the Indian flavours are subtle and delicate and not intense like in an Indian curry.

If you’re hosting any vegetarians for a holiday dinner, they will be happy to find the quinoa on the table. Quinoa is an ancient grain originating from the Andean region of South America which is both gluten-free and high in protein. It’s considered a superfood!
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Curried Cranberry & Almond Quinoa
Not only tasty, this dish make a pretty addition of red and green on any holiday table.

Ingredients:
¼ cup quinoa, rinsed in several changes of water
2 cups water
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup spinach, finely chopped
½ small red onion, chopped
1 tsp. Arvinda’s Curry Powder
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds

Method: Add quinoa to a pot with water and salt. Boil until water is absorbed.

In a separate pot, heat olive oil on medium-low heat. Add onions and saute for a couple of minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Fold in quinoa and Arvinda’s Curry Powder. Fold in dried cranberries and sliced almonds.

I wrote this recipe to serve 2-4, so it would be suitable for everyday lunches or dinners. Double or triple the recipe if you’re serving a larger crowd.

A beautiful addition of green and red to the Christmas dinner table.

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We’ve never had an all-Indian Christmas dinner, but something to think about for next year!

Best wishes to you and your family and loved ones for a wonderful, joyous and peaceful holiday celebration. Feliz Navidad!

A teaspoon of: Ohbijou. Listening to: Last Christmas. Love Ohbijou’s modern take on my favourite Christmas song, but nobody can do it better than Wham!

Treat a loved one to an Indian cooking class - learning whole wheat handmade naan from scratch is a welcomed skill for any Indian food lover!

Although I do my best to avoid the malls, I like to go to admire their beautiful Christmas light displays. This year's larger-than-life reindeers at Toronto's Eaton Centre makes the holiday season seem magical.

One of the hardest trail runs I've ever done - torture! This was at the ARK in Quebec. Challenge a loved one to a trail race or "fun run".

2) Give the gift of experience: Whether it’s cultural, food-related or topic-specific, any activity that will make for a memorable day will be welcomed especially for someone who is busy and could use a day to let their mind wander in another direction. An OCAD painting class, a Henry’s photography course or A Taste Of The World’s Neighbourhood Bicycle and Walking Tours or Afternoon Tea at The Windsor Arms Hotel. Arvinda’s offers a cultural and food Little India Walking Tour ($65) that is perfect for any Indian food lover–we say it’s like traveling to India in your own backyard!

3) Give the gift of food – pantry raid!: Trying to encourage someone to do more cooking at home for better health? A pantry basics boost may be all that they need to help motivate delicious home-cooked meals which is healthier than eating out and cost-effective on the budget. A good olive oil, a nice balsamic vinegar, high quality dried herbs and spices, different flours, lentils, beans and hard to find ingredients like kafir lime leaves or organic coconut milk. For the Indian food lover pantry items may include:
Spices – mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamom pods, whole cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, star anise, ajwain seeds, whole cloves, Arvinda’s Curry Leaves, whole kashmiri chilies, asafoetida, a premium quality pure saffron. I can’t forget turmeric powder!
Flours – chick pea flour, whole wheat chappati flour, sorgham flour, duram flour.
Lentils & Beans - dried chick peas, moong beans, red lentils (masoor), kidney beans, black-eyed beans, moong dal, channa dal.

Good quality spices are a pantry must for any Indian cook!

Oils - coconut oil, peanut oil. I recommend making clarified butter (ghee) from scratch at home.
Misc. - Tamarind pulp or concentrate, coconut milk.
Basic Masalas – good quality Garam Masala, Tandoori, Madras and Curry Masalas.

Arvinda's masalas. Photo courtesy of www.ohkamp.com

4) Give the gift of cooking: Those who love to cook (and eat!) could value a cooking class experience that can revolutionize meal-times, expanding one’s repertoire of dishes – it’s a gift that keeps giving throughout the year! For the newly turned vegetarians (or meat-lovers alike!), try cookbook author Nettie Cronish’s amazing vegetarian cooking classes–you’ll walk away with a wealth of knowledge for healthier eating. For Indian food lovers, Arvinda’s has a line-up of regional, home-style Indian cooking classes that offers both a breathe of Indian culinary knowledge and technique mixed in with Indian culture – a memorable, heavenly scented experience!

World Wildlife Fund has many wildlife adoption gifts of endangered species.

5) Give the gift of charity – Nothing feels better than helping others in need. I’m a fan of WWF Wildlife Adoption gifts or make a donation in someone else’s name to a favourite charity. Instead of an expensive dinner out, make a date to volunteer at the food bank or charity event.

I would never spend crazy amounts of money on a chimney big enough for Santa to get through…instead that money could go to charity!

In the end, it’s not about gifts themselves but the genuine expression of caring, warmth, love and gratitude!

Any other ‘feel-good’ last-minute gift ideas to share?

A teaspoon of: Sam Roberts Band. Listening to: Stripmall Religion.

Arvinda's Citrus Chai Spice Sugar Cookies.

Of all my holiday baking recipes that I make annually, this recipe is my favourite. The citrus notes pair amazing with Arvinda’s Chai Masala–which is the perfect holiday spice blend!

Hope you will try it! I love biting into one of these cookies crackling the citrus chai icing which makes these cookies softer. You can choose any cookie cutter for these, but I always make them as stars and finish them with silver candies, making them a pretty addition to any cookie plate.

Enjoy!
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Arvinda’s Citrus Chai Spice Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
zest of a lemon
zest of an orange
3 cups flour

Citrus Chai Icing:
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 tsp. Arvinda’s Chai Masala

Method: Line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375F

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix. Stir in Arvinda’s Chai Masala, vanilla, baking powder, orange zest and lemon zest. Stir in flour. Chill dough for 15-20 minutes in refrigerator.

Roll out dough 1/8’’ thick. Using assorted cookie cutters, cut out dough into cookies. Bake for 6-9 minutes or until slightly golden brown on edges. Cool on wire rack.

Icing: In a small bowl, sift icing sugar and stir in orange juice. Mix in orange zest and Arvinda’s Chai Masala. Glaze cooled cookies with icing. Decorate with sprinkles or festive candies.
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A teaspoon of: Florence K. Listening to: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. I like the Latin beats/salsa version of this song!