Masala Chai Tea- yes I know Chai means tea!- is one of the most popular Indian drinks. This easy warming spice drink is a simple delicious everyday drink but also perfect for when you have a cold.
1 mortar and pestle Substitute: ziplock bag and rolling pin
1 Pot
1 strainer
Ingredients
For the Masala Chai Pre-Mix
1stick Cinnamon
3-4GreenCardamom
2Cloves
½teaspoonWhole Black Peppercorns
For the Masala Chai Tea
1Cupwater
3Black tea bagsSubstitute: 3 teaspoons of black tea leaves or 1.5 teaspoons of black tea dust (it's the strongest and most "authentic.")
½inchfresh Ginger(chopped)- this can curdle milk, so make sure it has boiled before adding milk.
1CupMilk I like whole fat milk but you an also use a dairy-free milk. I use a 1:1: ratio for milk and water (but you can change the ratio depending on the thickness of your milk.)
SweetenerTo taste. The traditional sweetener is jaggery or palm sugar. A decent substitute would be brown sugar but you can also use honey, or even maple syrup. Alternatively, you can use my Masala Chai Concentrate to sweeten and spice up your tea.
Instructions
Preparing Masala Chai Spices -> you can prep this in advance
Put the spices in a ziplock bag then bash them with a rolling pin to help release the aroma. (You can skip the ziplock bag but it helps to prevent the spices from flying about. Alternatively, if you have a mortar and pestle, you can use that to crush the spices.)
Lightly toast the spices in a dry pan till fragrant, over a low fire.Note: if making this in advance, increase the quantities, then process to a fine powder in a spice grinder and store in an airtight container. Use slightly more than ½ teaspoon per cup of tea.
Making Masala Chai
Add the spices, ginger, black tea, and water to a pot and boil for 3-4 minutes till the liquid turns dark (or to taste. Start with a bit less tea first- you can always add more later and too strong a tea can make the drink bitter. Once the mixture has boiled, lower the heat to medium.)
Add the milk AFTER the pot has come to a boil (if not the mixture may curdle) and simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
You'll know the Masala Chai is ready when you see a layer on top. Pour through a tea strainer, into mugs (or teapot), and sweeten to taste.
Notes
Note: the spice mixture is flexible. Some people add nutmeg, star anise, saffron and fennel but I keep my mix simpler.