Masala Chai or Masala Tea is a warm, flavorful and authentic Indian drink. It is traditionally prepared with Chai Masala made of black tea powder, spices, ginger, milk, and sugar. You may find this Tea in every nook and corner of the country and also in most households. This tea is also called Chai Tea in the Western world even though Chai and Tea mean the same.
The recipe that I have shared here shows you how to make an authentic Masala Chai with a balanced sweet, spice, and strong flavor of tea with clear step-by-step instructions. I have also shared the recipe video to make the process visually clear. This Masala Chai is a perfect drink to start your day or as a refreshment in the evening.
Jump to:
What is Masala Chai?
Masala Chai or Tea is a traditional Indian milk drink made with warm spices and ginger called Chai Masala. The term Masala refers to the spices and Chai refers to Tea In Indian Language. In the Western world, the term Chai Tea is more popular than the authentic one. Chai Tea literally means Tea Tea in the Indian language. And people never use it in India as it translates the same meaning.
This Indian Spiced milk tea is perfectly brewed with good brand black tea, spices, and ginger. It is one of the common everyday hot beverages consumed by a large population in India. You may find this drink from high-end restaurants, Tea stalls, and street vendors. You might also like Thai Tea another authentic drink from the Asian continent which uses a similar kind of tea mix like masala chai.
The recipe I have posted here is the Masala Tea that we make in our family when we really need a strong cup of drink elevates our stressed-out mood. Usually, my regular mornings start with a cup of regular milk tea but on the rainy day's Masala Chai is the best. If you would like to have a very thick Masala Tea, then I would recommend brewing the ingredients in milk alone. However, you can also use a 1:2 ratio of water and milk to achieve similar thick tea as well.
Ingredients
- Black Tea Powder - Indian black tea powder is used to achieve authentic strong robust flavor and taste to the tea. You may find wide varieties like Assam, Darjeeling, Taj Mahal and Nilgiris in Indian grocery stores
- Spices - I have used star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorn in this recipe
- Ginger - It gives a nice warm flavor to the tea
- Milk - Cows Milk gives the best flavor to the traditional Chai Tea but I have given some substitutes below if diaries are not in your list
- Brown Sugar - I have used brown sugar but you can also use your favorite sweetners
How to make Masala Chai (Tea)?
This recipe makes 3 cups of Chai Tea and you can easily customize the ingredients as per your taste.
- Chai Masala or Spice Powder - Crush the spices in a pestle or blender into a coarse powder and keep it aside for later use
- Brew Tea Powder - In a saucepan with medium heat, add 1 cup of water and add 2 tsp of black tea powder. Brew it for 3 to 5 minutes
- Add in spices and ginger - Now add in the crushed spice powder, and ginger
- Add Milk - Now add 2 cups of milk, brown sugar and mix well. Allow the tea mixture to puffs up. Stir on and off to avoid overflowing the tea. Let the tea mixture boil until it turns nice and frothy.
- Filter - Now remove from the heat and filter the tea mixture with a fine-mesh strainer. You can also hand froth the tea before serving.
Serve this Masala Chai in the morning to start your day or as a refreshment in the evening
Substitutions
- Milk - Even though full fat cow milk gives the authentic flavor to this tea, you can also substitute it with Almond Milk, Oat Milk or coconut milk for vegan friendly option
- Sugar - Brown or white sugar gives tradititonal taste to Masala Tea but you can also sub with honey, coconut sugar and similar other sweetners.
Tips
- The key to making a perfect Masala Chai(Tea) is brewing the tea powder and spices in milk until frothy
- The quantity of ingredients also plays an important role to make a perfect masala tea, so make sure to add them accordingly
- I have used freshly crushed spices to make this masala chai but you can also make them in bulk batches to use for future use
- To make a thick Masala Tea always make sure to use 1:2 of Water Milk ratio
- I have used brown sugar to sweeten the tea but you can also use white sugar or honey. But if you would like to enjoy the authentic Masala Chai then I recommend using white or brown sugar
Serving Suggestions
This Masala Chai can be prepared with Chai Masala powder and tastes great when consumed hot and fresh. I wouldn't recommend storing this drink as it will not taste fresh when reheated frequently. I would suggest making a fresh batch to enjoy the authentic Masala Chai in every sip.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar recipes below and more at Tea Recipes
- Ginger Lemon Tea
- Ginger Tea
- Iced Tea
- Sweet Tea
- Barley Tea
- Bubble Tea (Boba Milk Tea)
- Taro Milk Tea (Taro Bubble Tea)
- Strawberry Milk Bubble Tea
- Hibiscus Tea (Agua De Jamaica)
More Tea Latte Recipes
Masala Chai (Tea) Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Masala Chai that I hope will help you to make an authentic drink at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Masala Chai (Masala Tea)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 2 cup Milk
- 2 Cinnamon Stick, small piece
- 1 Star Anise
- 10 Peppercorn
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Cardamom
- 1 tsp Ginger, chopped
- 2 tsp Black Tea Powder
- 3 tsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
To prepare Masala Powder
- Take star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorn, cloves, cardamom, and crush them into a coarse powder. Reserve the Chai Masala Powder for later use.
To prepare Masala Chai
- In a saucepan with medium heat, pour water and add black tea powder
- Allow the tea powder to brew for 2 to 3 minutes
- Now add chopped ginger, prepared masala powder, milk, sugar, and mix well
- Stir on and off and allow the chai mixture to puff up
- Once the chai mixture turns nice and frothy, remove it from heat
- Filter the Masala Chai with a fine mesh strainer and now the comforting drink is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this soothing Masala Chai for breakfast or as evening drink with your favorite snacks
Video
Notes
- The key to making a perfect Masala Chai(Tea) is brewing the tea powder and spices in milk until frothy
- The quantity of ingredients also plays an important role to make a perfect masala tea, so make sure to add them accordingly
- I have used freshly crushed spices to make this masala chai but you can also make them in bulk batches to use for future use
- I have used brown sugar to sweeten the tea but you can also use white sugar or honey
- This Masala Tea is a refreshing drink typically served hot in the mornings and evenings
Nutrition
FAQ
Masala Chai is a traditional Indian drink made with Tea powder, spices, and ginger. It is typically brewed in milk to achieve a balanced sweet, spicy, and strong flavor of the tea. It is a common regular day hot beverage served hot in the morning and evening.
Spices like star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns are typically added to the Chai.
Yes, you can but the traditional one is made with milk which gives the real flavor and taste to your tea.
Technically Chai is a drink with milk and black tea powder while Masala tea is made with spices and ginger along with black tea powder and Milk.
Masala Tea helps in good digestion, relieves sore throat but there is also a good amount of caffeine in the drink which is considered not safe when taken in large amounts.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Feel Hot Feel Cold!
Leave a Review