Wild Fennel Chai
Late Summer into Autumn
From My Kitchen
By the end of summer, the fennel growing along the paths has reached above the surrounding grasses. Its fine green stems carry small clusters of yellow flowers, and later, as the season progresses, the seeds begin to ripen.
I love this part of the year. The days can still be beautifully warm, although the mornings and evenings are beginning to feel cooler.
It is around this time that I begin returning to warm, spiced drinks.
For this chai, I wanted fennel to be the central flavour. Its natural sweetness works beautifully with coriander, cardamom and cinnamon, while a little ginger and clove bring warmth.
I like the idea of making a chai that belongs to this particular moment in the growing year, when the last warmth of summer meets the beginning of autumn.
Among the late-summer wildflowers
An Ayurvedic Note
In Ayurveda, spices are valued for their flavour and for the qualities they are traditionally understood to bring to food and digestion.
Fennel is particularly interesting because its sweet, aromatic character differs from the stronger heat of ginger and cloves.
Combining spices allows us to explore how their qualities work together. This blend brings together sweetness, fragrance and warmth, with fennel remaining at its centre.
As the seasons change, the spices we choose can change with them.
The Recipe
Makes two cups
Ingredients
1 teaspoon food-grade fennel seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
3 green cardamom pods
1 small cinnamon stick
2–3 thin slices fresh ginger
2 whole cloves
300 ml water
200 ml milk or unsweetened plant milk
A little sweetener, if desired
Method
Lightly crush the fennel and coriander seeds using a pestle and mortar. Gently press the cardamom pods to open them.
Place the water in a small saucepan with all six spices.
Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the spices to infuse for 8–10 minutes.
Add the milk and warm through without boiling vigorously.
Strain into two cups.
Taste before adding any sweetness. The fennel, cinnamon and cardamom already bring a natural sweetness to the blend.
A Note on Gathering Wild Fennel
Wild fennel should be gathered for consumption only when the plant has been positively identified by someone with appropriate botanical expertise. Several related wild plants are poisonous and can be mistaken for edible species.
For this recipe, commercially sourced food-grade fennel seeds are a safe and convenient alternative.
A Mindful Moment
As the spices begin to warm, notice how their aromas change.
The sweetness of fennel, the fragrance of cardamom, the deeper scent of cinnamon.
When the chai is ready, sit with your cup for a few minutes.
Feel its warmth between your hands and take time to taste the different spices.
Allow the preparation and the drinking to become part of the same small seasonal ritual.
