Chai (Masala Tea)
Chai is black tea brewed with spices and milk. A cup of chai gives a wonderful sense of warmth and has a soothing effect. The mere aroma of chai makes you to want one; it is hard to resist. There are endless recipes, and every household has its favorite spice mix.
Ingredients
Makes spice mix for 24 cups
- 24 green cardamoms hari ilachi
- 18 black pepper kali mirch
- 1 tsp anis seeds
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
Tea for 2 Cups of Chai
- 1-1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tsp tea leaves (I prefer Brooke Bond Red Label or Lipton Yellow Label)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp chai spice mix
Instructions
- Mix all the spices and grind to a powder. I prefer to use a coffee grinder, the one I keep just for spices. Store the chai spice mix in airtight container.
- Boil the water and milk with 1/4 teaspoon spice mix. When the water boils, reduce the heat to low and add the tea leaves and sugar. Cover the pan and let it simmer two to three minutes.
- Strain the mixture and serve hot. Adjust the sugar to your taste.
Notes
Notes I use 10 oz tea cups or mugs. Use 1/8 teaspoon of spice mix for 1 cup of tea. You will also enjoy Chai Latte
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Originally posted 2013-01-06 14:42:45.
Hi! I was wondering if we add milk at the same time as water, does it affect the taste of authentic chai?
Since childhood, I’ve made chai by boiling water and tea first followed by milk.
Love your recipes btw:)
Nikita,it will not spoil the tea, tea is made so many different ways, try it
I really know, This is very healthy… Thanks for sharing this with us
Thank you so much for this – absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I’ll be having this as my favourite drink from now. Kia Ora from New Zealand 🙂
thanks
Hi Manjula. Thank you for sharing the receipe.Tea masla is not infused properly and I can’t taste it in my chai. What might I do wrong?
Aneta, may be use little more we like very light in flavor.
Hi, is this cinnamon the same that we use for garam masala.. I find varieties of cinnamon – true cinnamon ceylon cinnamon, cassia…. Will be of help if you cld post an image of the one to use for tea or atleast let me know the difference.. I cld see one in rolls and the other variety packed which was broken into long and short pieces..
Hi Ms.Manjula,
What is anis seed? Is it normal saunf which we use in cooking gravies?All your recipes are good.I have learnt a lot from your experience. Thumbs up!!
Liya, Thank you, ansi seeds are different but you can use saunf in half the quantity of ansi seeds.
Dear Manjula,
huge THANKS to you & your husband for sharing this wonderful recipe. I made it for the first time today, and everyone in the family absolutely loves it.
UC Johnson, thank you, always good to hear that
Hello Manjula,
your recipe for Masala Chai is very handy to have and practical for when I don’t have half an hour to spend simmering milk, tea and spices. And your masala itself here is very delicious, I just used a pinch of it with a glass of milk and two teaspoons of molasses (or liquid jaggery), two minutes in the microwave and I had a delicious drink with minimal effort (you could add a tea bag if you wish, but I’d rather do your quick version of chai then). Still much better than the instant chai bags you can find sometimes in the supermarket. I will use your chai masala in many things! Like a crostata made with sorghum and kaju crust with masala chai-flavored cream. Maybe one day…by the way masala chai is the only way I really like tea. I can enjoy a plain tea, whatever variety, after a meal but masala chai I really go for. I first read about it when I was a little girl in a book based in Katmandu, I thought milk and tea must have been weird and horrible together (I either drank tea or milk for breakfast), but I was very wrong.
Have a good day, Didina
Didina, thank you it is so good to hear and happy you found so many ways to use the spice mix.
Dear Manjula, i have just made this tea and it’s so wonderful. Hits the spot! My only comment is that the ingredients say there should be 1/2 teaspoon for two cups of tea, while the instructions say 1/4 teaspoon. Based on your instructionss later for just one I cup of tea I assume the 1/4 teaspoon in the recipe is correct. Just wanted to point this out to anyone else who had the doubt. Many thanks for so many great recipes! Ana
Namaste, Manjula. Is it 24 pods of cardamom, or 24 seeds? Thanks.
How did you strain the mixture so perfectly? Did you use a coffee filter?
Amazing.
Im gonna grind that chai masala right away.
Ive always wanted to have my home ground chai masala but wasnt sure how.
I usually use my maasi’s chai masala recipe – fresh ginger, green cardamom and black peppercorns ground together in hamamdasta, and it tastes great.
Im sure I can surprise maasi with this chai masala, maybe a tiny dabbi for her too
Thanks Manjulaji.
If this recipe came from anybody else I would be hesitant to try the black pepper but I am sure it adds some wonderful element to this recipe! Any thoughts on the black pepper and how it adds to taste would be helpful! Thanks Aunty!
Thank you so much … I am irani but my husband Indian so I could learn many of your recipes and make happy my marvelous husband.
I’m so excided to try this tea. I love watching your videos. Sorry about my spelling. Hello from Oklahoma
Thanks Mandji for this worderful recipe!
My breakfast is now complete and my kitchen smells good!
Greetings from Brazil!
I really enjoy your website and your videos! Could you please tell me what kind of milk you use for chai? Do you use whole milk or 1 or 2% Thank you very much
Wendy, I use 2% milk
I make this tea all the time. Manjula thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Great recipe! thanx
Love and Greetings from Athens-Greece
I just found your website and am so excited! I have tried some Indian recipes in the past and they always taste quite plain. I love your videos. Now maybe I can make some real Indian food! THANKS!! I cannot wait to try this chai recipe.
Hello. I´m Paula from Portugal. I love your recipes. I made these tea often and i love it. thank´s.
Hi Manjula, love love to watch your videos , the way you explain things with very calm tender voice, you are a great teacher. Keep up the good work.
Dear auntie
Are you only using the cardoman seeds or whole
Chris,
Using whole cardomam
Dear Manjula ji ,
Your’s is tasty tea.
1. Milk ,water,spice mix. should be brewed for 2-3 mts.After adding tea leaves only one boil should be given.This ensures the right amount of caffiene getting in the tea.
2.Sugar should be added in the individual cups .Why sweeten the tea leaves by adding sugar in the boiling mix. in the pan .
This is healthy tea.
Thanks !
Aunty, can you please show us choorma recipe and also eggless russian salad, and salad sandwich. Thanks.
What type of sauf (aniseed) are you using? Lucknowi sauf (thin) or cooking sauf (thick) for chai masala?
Thanks!
Oh, thank you for this Manjula!!! I have been waiting to make this for a long time, and finally someone has a recipe to share. This would be lovely after a long bike ride.