Hot infusion
Simmering or steeping spices in hot liquid, as in chai, mulled wine and broths.
Also: steeping, decoction, kadha, simmering spices
Hot infusion extracts flavour by heating spice in water, milk, wine or stock. Gentle simmering draws out compounds that cold water leaves behind. Chai is the classic example: crushed ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon are boiled in water and milk with tea. Mulled wine and cider are warmed with cinnamon, cloves and orange peel, never boiled hard, because alcohol escapes. A kadha, a household decoction of tulsi, pepper and ginger, belongs to home tradition. Whole spices suit long simmers, while ground ones cloud the liquid. Time controls strength: ten minutes can taste fresh, an hour turns bitter.