What is Masala Chai?
The word Masala means spice and the word Chai means tea, so basically Masala Chai is a spiced tea. Originating from India the drink mainly consists of water, milk, black tea, sugar, and a mixture of spices.
What spices are commonly used in Masala Chai?
What type of tea do I use?
The most commonly used type of tea when making chai is a strong black tea. In India, a specific type of Assam tea called Mamri tea is most used. Mamri tea is processed in a certain way which gives it a more tea granule like look rather than an actual tea leaf. Mamri tea is processed by the CTC (cut, tear, curl) method and many times you will see ‘CTC tea’ written on the actual packaging of the tea. The purpose of using a strong black tea is so that you can get the great taste and aroma of the actual tea without the spices overpowering it.
What if I don’t or can’t drink milk?
If you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or just don’t drink milk you can substitute the milk for oat milk, almond milk or any other milk substitute that you prefer.
Ratio of Milk to water ?
Everyone has their own style of making Masala chai from the spices added to the ratio of water to milk. Depending on your preference you can change up the ratio of milk to water used when making your chai. I like to use a 2 to 1 ratio of water to milk respectively, as some of the water will evaporate while boiling resulting in a good consistency. Sometimes when I’m feeling a little more decadent I like to add some heavy cream to my chai to make it richer.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons Black Tea
- ½ Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Whole Clove
- 1 Black Peppercorn
- 1 Cardamom Pod
- Pinch of Nutmeg
- ½ Teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (Increase or decrease quantity to your liking)
Steps:
- Place water in saucepan and bring to a boil
- Once water is boiling add in your tea leaves and all the spices (smash any whole spices to get the most flavor and aroma out of them)
- Let the mixture simmer on medium to low heat for about 5-8 mins (leave mixture to boil for longer if you would like your tea to be stronger)
- After simmering your mixture add in your milk and put on medium heat until the milk comes to a boil (ensure the milk does not boil over)
- Once the chai comes to a boil, turn the heat on low and let it simmer for about 3 minutes
- Finally, turn the heat off, strain the chai into your cups and enjoy
A hot cup of masala chai makes for the perfect drink to warm up on a cold winter evening.
Chai Lover Gift:
Do you know someone who is a chai lover? We have the perfect gift! Check out our Masala Chai Kit.