Masala Chai Recipe (Indian Spiced Milk Tea)

5 from 14 votes

Masala Chai Recipe (Indian Spiced Milk Tea)

Masala Chai or Indian Masala Tea is a fragrant black tea recipe popular all over India. Basically it is brewed black tea that is flavored with aromatic herbs and spices, sweetened with sugar with a touch of milk added. A perfect hot drink for your breakfast or evening time.

Prep Time1

Cook Time9

Total Time10

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Easy

Servings:

Calories: 59kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

2 cups water
4 teaspoons raw sugar or add as per taste
2 teaspoons black tea - granules or tea leaves, preferably Assam CTC tea
¼ cup milk or add as per taste

Spices (Masala)

1 inch cinnamon - true cinnamon and not cassia cinnamon
2 to 3 green cardamoms
2 cloves
1 inch ginger

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Take cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and peeled ginger in a mortar-pestle.
Crush coarsely and set aside.
In a sauce pan or a small pan with a handle, heat water.
Let the water come to a boil and then add the crushed spices.
Boil the spices along with the water for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add sugar as per taste. I usually add 4 teaspoons of raw sugar. You can add more or less.
Now add 2 teaspoons of assam tea powder. Boil for a minute. This boiling time depends on how strong you want your tea. If you prefer a strong intense tea, then boil for a few more minutes.
Add milk. After adding milk boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
If using chilled milk, then boil with tea for 2 to 3 minutes. If using hot milk, then add the milk and switch off the heat.
Pour the tea through a tea strainer directly in the cup.
Serve Masala Chai hot with some Indian snacks or cookies or biscuits.

Notes

Choose to skip adding any spice depending on your taste preferences and health needs.
Preferably use black tea like CTC Assam tea powder or Assam tea leaves. If its organic its better.
For vegan chai, add soy milk, cashew milk, oats milk or almond milk. If using cashew milk or almond milk or oats milk, then heat separately and add it to the hot tea brew. With soy milk you can boil it with the brew for a few minutes.
For making masala chai with tea leaves you need to steep the leaves instead of boiling in water. First boil the water together with spices. Then switch off the heat and add the tea leaves. Mix with a spoon and cover pan with lid. Let the tea leaves steep for 2 to 4 minutes depend upon the strength and flavor you prefer. Later add hot milk to the steeped tea. Mix, strain and serve.

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