Masala chai recipe – masala tea 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 breaks up the blocked sinus. A large population drink it through out the year along with their Breakfast & Evening snacks.
What is masala tea? Masala means a mixture of spices & tea is a beverage. So masala tea is a beverage made by simmering spices with milk & tea.
Each Indian family may have their own recipe to make masala tea. The combination of spices, the quantity of milk, water and the kind of tea to use – is just a personal choice.
In this post I have shared the way I make at home & it closely matches the flavors of masala chai available in good Standard Indian restaurants.
To make masala tea, you can use any of the 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. So you can also easily customize it your taste.
There are 2 basic ways to make it. I have shared both the ways here on this post. The first method is to make it instantly with just 3 to 4 basic spices. They are crushed and then simmered with milk tea. We don’t need any other tea masala for this.
The second one is great if you wish to enjoy masala chai regularly or often. To make this, whole spices are ground in a spice jar and stored. When needed, add this to your everyday milk tea and simmer for sometime.
Preparation – Method 1
1. To make this firstly, whole spices (masala) are ground in a small mortar pestle or spice grinder. To make instant masala chai, powder
- 2 to 3 cloves
- ½ to ¾ cinnamon
- 4 green cardamoms.
2. Crush them fine or slightly coarse to bring out the flavors.
How to make masala chai
3. Pour 2 cups water to a pot. Add tea powder or tea leaves. I used 1 teaspoon powder here. You can use more or less depending on the kind of tea you are using. Or You can also use 3 to 4 tea bags. Simmer the black tea first. Chai made on a low flame tastes best.
4. Allow to boil for a few minutes until the tea decoction turns dark.
5. Add the masala chai powder and ginger (optional).
6. Also add sugar at this stage. I use 3 to 4 teaspoons. You can use as little or as much as you prefer.
7. Pour milk to the simmering black tea. Adjust the quantity of milk as needed.
8. Boil on a low to medium heat until the tea turns dark. Simmering helps the tea to thicken. I usually simmer until it reduces to 1 ¾ cup. Fresh holy basil (tulsi) or mint leaves can also be used for variations. You can taste test and add more milk if you prefer. But simmer again for a little longer so the tea doesn’t have the milk flavor.
9. Filter masala chai tea to serving cups.
Method 2
1. This is the second method. If you drink masala tea regularly, then you can make the masala chai powder in little larger quantity and store it in a glass jar. For quantities refer the recipe card below.
2. This will give you about 3 tsps powder.
3. To make masala tea, fresh ginger, tea powder or tea leaves, and ground spices are simmered in water to infuse the flavors. You can use the same quantities of water and milk mentioned in the recipe card.
Serve masala chai hot or warm.
More Indian beverages
Turmeric milk
Lassi recipe
Mango lassi
Badam milk
Masala chai (Masala tea)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Method 1 – Instant masala chai powder
- 4 green cardamoms (5 for stronger flavor) (elaichi)
- 3 cloves (2 for milder flavor)
- ½ to ¾ inch cinnamon piece (dalchini)
For making Tea
- 2 cup water
- 1 to 2 teaspoon tea powder or tea leaves as needed (adjust to suit your taste)
- 3 teaspoons sugar or as needed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ginger freshly chopped or crushed (optional)
- ¾ cup milk (adjust to taste)
Method 2 – Makes 3 tsp masala chai powder
- 1 teaspoon green cardamoms (5 grams skinned) (elaichi)
- ½ teaspoon cloves (2 grams) (lavang)
- 2½ to 3 grams cinnamon (dalchini)
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds (1½ grams) (saunf)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper corn (½ tsp powder)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg grated or ⅓ of large nutmeg
- 2 petals star flower (star anise) (chakri phool)
Instructions
Method 1 – How to make instant masala chai
- Pour water to a pot and add the tea. Bring this to a boil.
- Meanwhile crush cloves, cardamom & cinnamon stick in a hand pestle or spice blender to a powder.
- Add it to boiling water along with crushed ginger.
- Boil for about 2 to 3 minutes on a low to medium flame.
- When the flavors are infused well pour milk and bring it to a boil.
- Then simmer until the tea darkens & turns thick for about 5 mins. I usually simmer the entire tea until it reduces approximately to 1 ¾ cups.
- The flavor of milk should vanish when the masala tea is ready. Filter to serving cups.
- Serve masala chai hot or warm with any breakfast, snack or biscuits.
Method 2 – 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.
Notes
- The strength of tea depends on the kind of tea used like tea powder, tea leaves etc. It also depends on the brand of tea powder or leaves. Do adjust the quantities as desired.
- Some like tea to be more milky and some to be less. Also adjust the quantity of milk if needed.
- You can increase or decrease the quantity of spices to suit your taste.
- A few strands of saffron can be added for a unique flavor.
- You can add few tulsi (holy basil) leaves to increase immunity, though we may not benefit as much as eating the raw leaves.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hi Swasthi,
I’ve tried this recipe with cow’s milk and I love it!
I’m wondering, would the recipe work with plant milk too? Like oat milk or soy milk?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah
Glad to know! It turns slimy with oat milk. I haven’t tried with soy milk. Almond milk works. Filter the tea first to a cup. Let the temp come down a bit and just stir in the almond milk.
Everything was fine until i realised the tea was watery (Method 1). Me and my family prefer a more milky tea..so may i l know whats the measurement for a more milkier version?
Try with full fat milk. Simmer for a little longer, the tea thickens and you won’t feel it watery. You can use as much milk as you want & cut down the water a bit. But this is what I use.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I thought masala chai was made of pure milk, with no water. I used to go school with this girl of Indian parentage. She would sometimes invite me to her house after school and I would watch her prepare the tea. She never put water in it, she would just heat milk and drop the tea leaves and spices in.
Is it going to make a difference if I omit the cardamom and the fennel seeds? It’s still under lockdown where I am so I don’t have access to too many ingredients.
Hi Faridah,
If the milk is already diluted then no water is added. If using whole milk yes it needs water. You can skip fennel seeds but not cardamoms. Hope this helps
Oh my!! This is absolutely divine. The flavoring, taste all the works. So so delish. Thankyou for the recipe. Absolutely love it. Will make it regularly throughout this winter.?
Glad to know! Thank you
This is beautiful ! I love massaaaalachai ??? can i ask though , after powdering my spices in a spice grinder , after simnering my chai with them and sieving it into the cup … the leftover remnants are gooey ( the remnants in the sieve) … im just Wondering which spice potentially creates the slight gooeyness ? Im just curious if you know ?
Hi Serene,
Thank you! I guess it is the cardamom powder.
The clearest explanation and most detailed masala chai recipe I have ever seen. Thanks for this awesome work!
Hi Annie Girard
You are welcome! Thank you!
Awesome!
Can we have it everyday? Will it cause any harm?
Thank you!
If you live in a cold place you can have twice daily. Otherwise avoid it completely during summers.
Can you please explain why you say to avoid it in the summer? I find it to be a delicious year-round drink.
Thank you.
Hi Barbara,
All these spices with tea are said to be very dehydrating during summers. They also generate a lot of heat in the body. In moderate climates it is fine to consume through out the year. But during summers in hotter regions it is best to avoid or minimize these spices. However some people’s body can withstand all that heat and some really have troubles.
🙂
The chai was very delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Welcome Anjana
Glad you liked the chai
Hello, I can’t wait to try it! Just please tell me, if I don’t have full cinamon or nutmeg can I use the one already finely grounded? Thank you 🙂
Hi Lee,
You are welcome. Yes You can use a generous pinch of both for every serving.
Sir what is tsp? Tea spoon or table spoon in your recipe. Could you please clarify?
Hi Sohaib,
tsp is teaspoon.
tbsp is tablespoon.
Here in this recipe it is teaspoon
Hello,
I just made this recipe because I am always looking for Masala green chai since my husband doesn’t like black tea. I have driven all over town for it without much success. Finally I decided to make it myself. I WILL NEVER BUY STORE BOUGHT IMMITATION MASALA CHAI!!
This is DIVINE!
Thank you.
I am looking forward to making more of your recipes.
Ivette J.
Hello Ivette,
You are welcome. Glad you liked this masala chai. Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the recipes.
This tasted like it’s straight from a cafe! My 11 year old son loves masala chai. He was feeling under the weather so I made him your tea. He said it’s better than any of the big pack mix we buy online. It’s easy to find the ingredients on amazon and make your own masala chai. This is perfectly spiced! A big thank you. Next time If I happen to make anything Indian, I am going to choose this website.
Hi Sue,
You are most welcome. Glad your boy liked the masala chai. Yes homemade spice powder gives the best flavors. Thanks a lot for trying.
🙂
I have been searching to make my own chai tea and can’t wait to try your recipes thank you
Welcome Jean hall
Yes do try. Hope you enjoy the chai.
🙂
Could you please add some information on a best ginger tea?
I tried this recipe and am writing this post while I sip in the masala chai. Simple, quick and delicious!
Thank you so much Urmila. Glad to know you liked it.
Excellent . THANK YOU !
Welcome
Thanks for this. We really appreciate your time and effort. This not only helps public but also provides a new perspective to the topic.
Hi, if nutmug not available mean can I ignore and try with other spices?
Yes pushpa ignore it
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
Hi Carol
Thanks a lot. Glad to know you liked the post.
Have a wonderful day!!
🙂
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
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?
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..
love this tea… just like the tea at Shalimar restaurant.
Thank you