Masala Chai
A rich and aromatic Indian spiced tea made with strong Assam tea leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 15-20 mins Servings: 2 Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 250ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
- 250ml water
- 2.5 spoons black tea leaves (Tata Tea or any strong Assam tea)
- 2-3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (if unavailable, crush 4-5 whole cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 frozen ginger cubes (cut fresh ginger into small cubes and freeze)
- 50ml evaporated milk (optional, for a thicker consistency)
indian , tea , drinks
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the tea leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger cubes.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes until the water turns dark and you can smell the aroma of the spices.
- Add the milk and bring to a boil. This might take another 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it so the milk doesn’t boil over.
- Keep stirring throughout. The heat should be medium-high (6-7 out of 10 on an electric stove).
- Once the milk is fully boiled and the raw taste is gone, use a sieve to pour the mixture into two cups.
Tips
- For a more earthy/unique taste, use less sugar and add a bit of honey or jaggery instead.
- Use a non-stick saucepot to avoid scrubbing. Stainless steel pots can be harder to clean.
- Make sure the milk is properly boiled and the raw taste is gone. You’ll know it’s ready when you see bubbles and the milk begins to rise in the pot rapidly — be careful and reduce the heat at this point.
- Use this tea.
- Use a tea infuser to hold the tea leaves — it makes cleanup much easier since you can just lift it out instead of straining.