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    You are here: Home / Sharmis Passions / Masala Chai | Masala Tea

    Masala Chai | Masala Tea

    Last Updated On: Feb 21, 2024 by Sharmilee J

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    Masala Chai is an Indian spiced tea made with whole spices, tea powder and milk. Masala Chai also known as Masala Tea is perfect for a winter evening as it is so comforting. It takes just 10 mins to make fragrant and aromatic Masala Chai. Learn to make perfect Masala Chai with step by step pictures and video.

    masala tea being poured in a mug

    Masala Chai is one of the popular and favorite beverages in India. Many of us enjoy tea after breakfast in the morning and in the evening and this Masala Chai is very soothing especially in the winter. I am not a tea addict but still enjoy having masala chai anyday.

    About Masala Chai

    Masala means spices and Chai in Hindi translates to tea. So Masala Chai is basically a spiced tea. Masala Chai is an Indian beverage made with whole spices as main ingredients and is packed with strong flavor. The whole spices include cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom etc.

    Traditionally masala tea was made using loose tea leaves but nowadays mostly they use processed tea powder which is easily available. The taste of masala chai also depends on the tea powder used.

    Tea is one of the most common beverage had in most of Indian homes. Each family have their own version of making tea according to their personal choice of ingredients and measures. Tea is considered to keep our body warm so may be that is the reason its popular in most of chill locations. However many people in India have tea throughout the year.

    This Masala Chai is full of flavor perfect for this chill weather. I usually make Masala Chai during winters when I feel like having spiced hot tea. Hubby loves all tea varieties so make for him too. Tea has become an integral part of many households and ours is no exception, I have tea once during evenings which is very refreshing to run between chores and the kids.

    Masala Chai can be made using a different combination of flavors but I have given the recipe with the basic spices used. You can make Masala Chai in 2 methods : one from the scratch by adding fresh ingredients and other by using prepared masala tea powder.

    Masala Chai served hot

    Masala Chai Video

    Types of Tea

    Basically there are 2 varieties of processed tea available in the market Tea dust and CTC. CTC tea is produced as a result of processing tea leaves through cylindrical rollers to crush, tear and curl up so it is mostly in granular form. CTC teas gives a rich red-brown color when they are boiled, the processing of this tea is entirely different from the tea dust.

    Tea Dust is another kind of processed tea which is in powdered form this is the one widely available in supermarkets. This is the most commonly tea variety found in India.

    In India tea is widely grown in Nilgiris, Assam and Darjeeling. Each tea variety differs from taste and flavor. Whenever we visit Ooty, I always buy huge packs of tea as it is very fresh and aromatic.

    tea powder varieties

    Masala Chai Ingredients

    • Milk : Use fresh thick milk for making tea. As we add water while making tea, milk should be thick.
    • Tea powder : You can use any tea powder you like. I use a mix of tea powders to achieve a more unique fragrant flavor.
    • Spices : Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom are added here.
    • Sweetener : If you like your tea without sugar you can skip it. If adding you can either add white sugar or brown sugar as per your choice.
    masala chai ingredients

    More tea recipes

    • Mint tea
    • Ginger cardamom tea
    • Ginger lemon tea
    • Chocolate tea
    • Green tea
    • Sulaimani tea

    How to make Masala Chai Step by Step

    Preparing Spices

    1. To a hand mortar and pestle add a small ginger piece. Peel the skin from ginger, rinse and then add it.
    add ginger

    2.Crush it well.

    crush it well

    3.Transfer crushed ginger to a small bowl.

    transfer to a bowl

    4.Add cardamom pods.

    add cardamom pods

    5.Crush it roughly.

    crush it roughly

    6.Transfer it to the same bowl and set aside. If you prefer you can add ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon to the mortar and pestle and crush it roughly together.

    transfer to a bowl ad set aside

    Boiling spices

    7.Add water to a sauce pan.

    add water

    8.Add crushed ginger and cardamom to it.

    add crushed ginger and cardamom

    9.Add cinnamon.

    add cinnamon

    10.Add a clove to it.

    add clove

    Make tea decoction

    11.Add tea powder to it.

    add tea powder

    12.Give a quick mix.

    give a quick mix

    13.Let it boil, simmer until it reduces to almost half. Boiling well is the key to get a perfect tasting masala chai so let it simmer until its almost half.

    let it boil until it reduces to half

    Adding milk and sugar

    14.Add milk to it.

    add milk

    15.Add sugar. You can add white sugar or brown sugar or cane sugar as per your preference.

    add sugar

    16.Give a quick mix.

    give a quick mix

    Boiling

    17.Simmer until it comes to a rolling boil.

    let it come to a rolling boil

    18.Give a quick mix.

    give a quick mix

    19.Simmer for 2 mins.

    simmer for 2 mins

    20. Switch off.

    switch off

    Straining

    21.Strain using a metal strainer.

    strain using metal strainer

    22.Discard the remains.

    discard the remains

    Masala Chai ready for serving

    23.Masala Chai ready!

    masala chai ready

    Frothing and Serving

    24.Froth by pouring to another cup and serve hot!

    froth and serve

    Serve hot masala chai with biscuits!

    Expert Tips

    • Let the decoction be thick to get thick masala chai.
    • If you want your tea to be a little thin then reduce milk to 1/2 cup.
    • Use freshly crushed ginger, cardamom for more flavor.
    • Add milk only after the tea decoction is boiled well.
    • Usually I use cane sugar / brown sugar for tea , coffee but you can use replace it with regular white sugar too.
    • Serve masala chai piping hot to enjoy the full flavors.

    Variations

    • For vegan option skip milk and replace it with almond milk or soya milk or cashew milk.
    • Furthermore add more spices like fennel seeds, black pepper, nutmeg, star anise etc.
    • For winter season in addition you can even add tulsi leaves to this tea. It gives a soothing feel also prevents from catching cold often.
    • The tea powder brand too makes a difference. Use assam tea powder for best results.

    Serving & Storing

    • Serve masala chai with any snack especially any deep fried crispy snack such as pakoda, vada would be apt with ginger tea.
    • Plain marie biscuits with tea is a match made in heaven.
    • I wouldn’t recommend storing tea and serving so always make it fresh and serve. If you want to take it for travel, you can make masala chai pour in a flask and it keeps well for about 5-6 hours.

    FAQS

    1.What is Masala Chai made of? How is it made?

    Masala Chai is made by simmering water along with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. First a thick decoction is made by simmering all of this then milk is added and let to boil. Once a rolling boil comes give a quick mix, simmer for 2 mins then strain. Hot Masala Chai is ready to be served!

    2.How does Masala Chai taste?

    Masala Chai tastes more like regular tea with a aromatic flavor from ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Masala Chai is perfect for winters as its so comforting.

    3.Can I make Masala Chai without milk?

    Masala Chai is usually had with milk but if you prefer you can make it without milk too. You can check here for no milk version.

    4.Can I crush all the spices together?

    Yes you can add ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves all together to a mortar and pestle crush it roughly and use it.

    5.When can I have Masala Chai?

    You can have it in the morning after breakfast or in the evening. I love it in the evenings after my nap.

    masala tea being served in a mug

    If you have any more questions about this Masala Chai do mail me at sharmispassions@gmail.com
    Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest ,Youtube and Twitter .

    Tried this Masala Chai Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it.Tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.

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    Masala Chai Recipe | Masala Tea Recipe

    Masala Chai is an Indian spiced tea made with whole spices, tea powder and milk. Masala Chai also known as Masala Tea is perfect for a winter evening as it is so comforting. It takes just 10 mins to make fragrant and aromatic Masala Chai. Learn to make perfect Masala Chai with step by step pictures and video.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Servings2
    AuthorSharmilee J

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup water
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1.5 teaspoon tea powder
    • 2 teaspoon sugar
    • 1/4 inch ginger
    • 1/2 inch cinnamon
    • 2 nos cardamom
    • 1 no clove

    Instructions

    • To a hand mortar and pestle add ginger crush it roughly transfer to a plate and then add cardamom crush it roughly set aside.
    • To  a sauce pan add water – add cinnamon, crushed ginger and cardamom.
    • Add clove, tea powder and let it boil in low flame.
    • Boil until it reduces to almost half. Now add milk to it.
    • Add sugar and let it come to a rolling boil.
    • Mix well simmer for 2 mins. Then strain, froth well and serve hot masala chai!

    Video

    Notes

    • Let the decotion be thick to get thick masala chai.
    • If you want your tea to be a little thin then reduce milk to 1/2 cup.
    • Use freshly crushed ginger, cardamom for more flavour.
    • Add milk only after the tea decotion is boiled well.
    • Usually I use cane sugar / brown sugar for tea , coffee but you can use replace it with regular white sugar too.
    • Serve masala chai piping hot to enjoy the full flavours.
    Nutrition Facts
    Masala Chai Recipe | Masala Tea Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (200 ml)
    Calories 103 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 15mg5%
    Sodium 53mg2%
    Potassium 204mg6%
    Carbohydrates 11g4%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 10g11%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 349IU7%
    Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
    Calcium 162mg16%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sharmispassions or tag #sharmispassions
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    Filed Under: beverages, Recently Updated, Sharmis Passions, tea recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eva

      July 22, 2019 at 2:09 pm

      Thank You for the instructions, looks very delish, must try!

      Reply
    2. Priya

      July 08, 2020 at 9:01 am

      Tried today came out awesome. Thanks Sharmee. Your recipe has to come to my aid for so.. many years.

      Reply
    5 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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