What a busy weekend! Not only is the Vancouver Winter Games on, but it's also Chinese New Year AND Valentine's Day on Sunday.

If you're like me and have decided at the last minute that you'd like to mark Valentine's Day, with a special cocktail, a sexy salad and/or dessert, you're in luck. Here's the lovely Preena Chauhan to show us three quick and easy recipes that's sure to spice up the day. (See recipes below videos).

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Masala Chai Coffee Cocktail
Serves 2
    
Ingredients:

• 2 cups cold filtered water
• 2½       tsp black loose leaf tea OR 1 strong black tea bag
• ½ tsp   Arvinda's Chai Masala (or a mix of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppers)
• ½ cup  milk (homogenized, 2% or skim)
• 2 oz.    coffee liqueur
• sugar, to taste
• nutmeg, to garnish

Directions:

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil over the stove. Add black loose leaf tea and Arvinda's Chai Masala and boil further 2-3 minutes.
2. Add milk and bring to a boil again. Chai should be a caramel colour. Strain into a pot and add sugar to taste. Chill in refrigerator.
3. Add ice to a cocktail shaker and 4 oz. of chilled Masala Chai. Add 1 oz. of coffee liqueur and shake well. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

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Garam Masala Red Beetroot Carrot Kachumber
Kachumber is a simple Indian salad of carrots, onions and cucumber, typically dressed with vinegar, lemon or lime juice and chili powder. This is a modern version that uses red wine vinegar and beetroots festive for a Valentine's dinner.

Ingredients:
Salad

• 2-3         medium beetroots, finely grated
• 1-2         large carrots, finely grated

Dressing

• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• ½          juice of a lime
• 2 tsp.   sugar
• ½ tsp.  sea salt
• ¼ tsp.   garam masala

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk together.  Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss together beetroot and carrots and mix in dressing. Serve as a side.

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Vanilla Chai Coconut Ice Cream with Macerated Chai Cherry Compote
Ingredients:
Vanilla Chai Coconut Ice Cream:

• 3 cups  'real' vanilla ice cream (1/2 carton of 1.89 ice cream tub)
• ¼ cup   dry coconut, unsweetened
• 2 tsp.    Arvinda's Chai Masala (or a mix of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppers)
• ? cup   dark chocolate shavings, to garnish

Macerated Chai Cherry Compote:

• 1 cup  cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
• ¾ cup  water
• ½ cup  granulated sugar
• 1 tsp.   Arvinda's Chai Masala ((or a mix of ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, black peppers)
• 2-3 each  cardamom pods and cloves
• 2 tbsp. dark rum (optional)
•  fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Directions:

1. Macerated Chai Cherry Compote: In a saucepan add water and simmer. Stir in sugar and dissolve. Add cherries, Arvinda's Chai Masala, cardamom and clover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat, until mixture is reduced and thickened. Stir in dark rum.
2. Ice Cream: Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow it to slightly soften. In a bowl, using a spoon combine softened ice cream with coconut and Arvinda's Chai Masala. Mix well.
3. Transfer Chai Spice Ice Cream into a container and refreeze.
4. Serve ice cream in a martini glass and garnish with dark chocolate shavings and a drizzle of Macerated Chai Cherry Compote. Garnish with mint leaf.

Related: Check out our Valentine's Day microsite