CHOCOLATE CHAI MIX

Steps:

• Peel the skin from the ginger and discard. Shave the ginger into thin strips with the peeler, and lay the peels on a baking sheet with space in between for air to circulate. Scrub the oranges under water and dry them thoroughly. Moving clockwise, peel from top to bottom so you are left with several strips. Lay the peeled rind on a pan with space in between for air to circulate. Leave the pans out overnight in a warm place, if possible, like the top of an oven or a radiator. In 12-24 hours the peels should be dry and flexible. If they're not, give them a little more time, or put them in the oven at 200F° for 15-30 minutes. Set the dehydrated orange rind aside. Put the cocoa powder in a large bowl, and set a sifter or fine mesh strainer on top. Using a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder, grind the ginger, cardamom, fennel, black pepper, coriander, nutmeg, and allspice. Work in batches, pouring each into the sifter as you finish. When all of the spices are ground, sift them into the cocoa, using your fingers to push the spices through if necessary. Discard the bits of husk and seed left over in the strainer. Sift in the cloves and cinnamon. Stir the spices into the cocoa, and portion the chai mix into containers. Press a whole star anise, a bay leaf, and a few pieces of the orange rind into the top of each container and seal tightly. To serve, put a large spoonful of chocolate chai in a cup and stir in hot water, milk, and sweetener of choice. Yield: about 10 cups (fills 8 1¼ cup tea tins)