Asha's Cold Brew Iced Fruit Chai

I love a perfect, steaming cup of Masala Chai as much as the next girl, but on a sweltering day, I love cold-brewing a refreshing glass of fruity iced tea with our Masala Chai Blend. It’s as easy as stirring together your favorite fruit with the chai blend, water, and any little extras you like—mint, rose petals, citrus peel—then letting time do the work. A 24-hour rest in the fridge coaxes out the floral notes of the green cardamom and fennel, gentle sweetness of the fruit, and leaves the black tea smooth and clean, with none of the bitterness or tannic edge of an oversteeped brew.

This recipe is a blueprint to building your the best iced tea for you. Peaches, nectarines, plums—any stone fruit, really!—are great, as are berries, like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. If you're after a lighter, more tropical brew, reach for fruits like pineapple, mango, and kiwi. When it comes to flavorings, a couple sprigs of mint go a long way, but you can also use 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon Panneer Rose petals, or strips of citrus zest (just make sure to cut away any of the white pith which can result in bitterness). Here are five combinations to get you started:

1. Peaches + 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2. Plum + zest of 1 orange
3. Pineapple + 2 to 3 sprigs mint
4. Strawberries + 1 tablespoon Panneer Rose
5. Raspberries + zest of 1 lemon

Please note: This uses our Masala Chai Blend, which is the perfect combination of spices and black tea in one tin.