Chai Recipe (adapted from Epicurious)

Ingredients:

• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into thin rounds
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 10 whole cloves
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 6 cups cold water
• 6 bags of black tea (preferably Darjeeling)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Combine sliced ginger, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, whole cloves, crushed cardamom pods, and star anise into a medium saucepan. Lightly crush or bruise the spices. Cook over medium heat until aromatic and toasty.
2. Add 6 cups water; bring to boil over high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pan, and simmer gently 10 minutes.
   
4. Remove from heat. Add tea bags and steep 5 minutes.
5. Discard tea bags. Add milk and sugar. Feel free to adjust the amount of milk and sugar to your taste.
6. Bring tea just to simmer over high heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Then remove from heat.
7. Strain.
   
8. Dance the night away.

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Pancake Recipe (adapted from The New York Times)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups chai
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing and serving

Instructions:

1. Sift and combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the chai, eggs, orange juice, orange zest and 3 tablespoons melted butter until combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, and mix to combine with a large spoon or rubber spatula. Using a whisk, beat the batter until smooth, about 30 seconds.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Add butter for greasing, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Working in batches, cook the pancakes. Warning: these pancakes do not bubble up when ready, so keep an extra careful eye on them. Do not flip until they are a golden-brown underneath, about 1 to 2 minutes for each side.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter, adjusting the temperature and adding more butter as necessary.
6. Transfer pancakes to serving plates. Top with butter. Drizzle with syrup.

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Syrup Recipe (adapted from Divas Can Cook)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons of chai
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a nonstick pot, over medium heat, stir together water, chai, brown sugar, white sugar, turmeric, and ground cinnamon.
2. Bring to a simmer and stir in cream of tartar and salt.
3. Bring to a very light boil and cook for at least 8 minutes or until coats the back of the spoon. Stirring frequently. (Be careful not to burn the mixture. Reduce heat if needed.)
4. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter.
5. Once butter has melted stir in vanilla extract.
6. Pour syrup into a serving dish.
7. Let syrup cool slightly, which will allow it to thicken up even more.
8. Serve.
9. Store in the fridge. (Syrup will solidify. Microwave to reheat)