Masala chai recipe – masala tea or masala chai is one of the favorite drinks among Indians especially during the monsoon and cold winters. It is believed that it keeps the body warm and break up the blocked sinus. A large population drink it around the year along with their Breakfast & Evening snacks.
Masala meaning a mixture of spices, is used to make milk tea. To make masala tea, one can use any of their favorite spices like star anise, green cardamoms, cloves, fennel, cinnamon, pepper corn and nutmeg. Masala chai is made in so many flavors all to suit one’s liking.
There are 2 basic ways to make it. The first method is making instantly with just 3 to 4 basic spices, crushing them and then making it right away. We don’t need any tea masala for this. You can find this method on this post of How to make quick masala tea at home. If you drink chai occasionally then it will be useful.
If you wish to enjoy masala chai regularly, then this second method is for you. In this method, we will be making the Tea masala powder first and stock it to use as and when needed.
I am sharing the recipe which closely matches the flavors of the masala chai available in good Standard Indian restaurants.
More Indian beverages
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Masala chai recipe
Masala chai recipe | Masala tea | How to make masala tea
Indian masala chai recipe - Masala tea is one of the most enjoyed beverages in India. Masala meaning a mixture of spices is simmered along with milk and tea leaves or powder. Then it is lightly sweetened with sugar. This recipe will give you masala chai that you would get in any standard Indian restaurant.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
For making masala chai powder, makes 3 tsp. powder
- 1 tsp green cardamoms or 5 grams skinned (elaichi)
- ½ tsp cloves or 2 grams (or lavang)
- 2½ to 3 grams cinnamon (dalchini)
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds or 1.5 grams (saunf)
- ¼ to ½ tsp pepper corn or ½ tsp powder
- ½ tsp nutmeg grated or 1/3 of large nutmeg
- 2 petals star flower or star anise (chakri phool)
For making Tea
- ½ tsp masala chai powder or more - made from above ingredients
- ¾ cup milk (180 ml)
- 1 ¼ cup water (240 ml)
- 1 tsp tea powder or tea leaves as needed (adjust to suit your taste)
- 1 tsp ginger freshly chopped or crushed (optional)
- 2 to 3 tsps Sugar or as needed
How to make the recipe
Making masala chai powder or chai masala
Clean all the spices and add to a blender jar. Powder finely.
Store it in an airtight glass jar. Use about ½ tsp or more to make 2 servings of tea. For stronger tea you can use about ¾ tsp.
How to make masala chai
- Bring water to a boil.
- Add crushed ginger, spice powder and tea powder. Boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or till the flavors are infused well.
Pour milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the tea darkens.
- Filter it to the steel cups or serving cups.
Serve masala chai hot or warm with any breakfast, snack or biscuits.
Recipe Notes
You can increase or decrease the quantity of spices based on your taste. You can add few tulsi (holy basil) leaves to increase immunity, though we may not benefit as much as eating the raw leaves.
How to make masala tea recipe
1. To make this firstly, whole dry spices or masala are ground to powder.
2. Then used to infuse the chai with this powder. This can be bottled and stored for further use.
3. To make masala tea, fresh ginger, chai powder, and spice powder are simmered in water to infuse the flavors.
4. Simmer the black tea. Chai made on a low flame tastes best.
5. Milk and sweetener are added to the simmering masala black tea.
Fresh holy basil (tulsi) or mint can also be used for variations.
Masala chai is filtered.
Serve masala chai hot or warm.
Vikki Trojanovich says
Thanks for this. We really appreciate your time and effort. This not only helps public but also provides a new perspective to the topic.
Pushpa says
Hi, if nutmug not available mean can I ignore and try with other spices?
swasthi says
Yes pushpa ignore it
carol morganski says
it was so refreshing to read kind and gentle remarks/feedbacks not some of the cruel,cutting responses on other sites just got back from India/Nepal so your tea and recipes made me realize how much I already miss both countries good work
swasthi says
Hi Carol
Thanks a lot. Glad to know you liked the post.
Have a wonderful day!!
🙂
Saarah says
Hi Swasthi,
Just wanted to confirm.. what is masalapowder ?
And when actually making the tea, how much ‘spice powder’ do you need to use ?
Many thanks.
Saarah x
Marlee says
Hi, I just started drinking Masala Chai. I really enjoy it. I’ve been looking for recipes on how to make it because store or cafe bought Masala Chai here in Australia is not that great. Thank you for sharing. By the way, the photos you took along with the instructions are really clear. May I ask what camera you use?
swasthi says
Hi Marlee
You are welcome
This is a very old post, I am not sure which camera I used. I used to shoot the step by step pictures with a point and shoot camera. Could be a sony point and shoot or a canon dslr..