Masala chai is prepared with tea leaves, milk and sugar along with a special masala. This masala comprises crushed or powdered spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and others. The steps to make masala chai (tea) at home are very easy. Learn them from my recipe.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Masala chai is a wonderful beverage of North India.
- Serve it with biscuits, toasts, pakoras, or samosas.
- Masala chai tastes sweet, creamy, and slightly spicy.
- Other similar chai recipes are adrak chai, elaichi chai, tulsi chai, and kesar chai.
The Ingredients:
- 2 tsp tea leaves
- 1 piece ginger (inch size, peeled)
- 2 pieces cinnamon (1 inch sticks)
- 2 pieces green cardamom
- 4 pieces cloves
- 5 pieces black peppercorn
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp sugar
- ½ cup water
- Sugar as required
- 1 cup milk
- Few strands of saffron (kesar)
This recipe came from a family who organized a community Ganpati in our building. During Visarjan, they handed out little food packets along with a cup of tea to everyone. I found the taste of the food, especially the masala chai to be exquisite and energizing. I asked who made the tea and learnt that their eldest daughter had made it. I met her and asked what masala did she put in it and she proudly explained the entire process.
I recreated it the next day. My husband said it felt blessed, and my sons loved it. Now, it is our festive tea. That moment reminded me how devotion, teamwork, and flavor come together beautifully and even a teenager’s kitchen can become a sacred space full of warmth and tradition.
How to Make Masala Chai? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take 1 piece of ginger (inch size, peeled), 2 pieces of cinnamon (1 inch sticks), 2 pieces of green cardamom, 4 pieces of cloves, 5 pieces of black peppercorn, and 1 tsp of fennel seeds in a plate first.
(Pro tip: For additional flavor and taste, you can also use black cardamom, crushed nutmeg, and other aromatic spices).
Step 2: Put them all in a traditional mortar and pestle and crush them to a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
(Pro tip: You can make a powder of it by mixing it in a mixer grinder. However, for that use dry ginger, powdered or whole, and dry roast them for a couple of minutes).
Step 3: Now, in a pot, take 2 tsp of sugar and add just about 1 tsp of water to it. Melt the sugar on a low flame until it starts turning to a lovely dark color.
(Pro tip: Always add a teaspoon of water while melting the sugar or else it will stick to the pan and burn).
Step 4: At this stage, pour water into the caramelized sugar. Mix it nicely.
Step 5: Then, add your masala to it, mix it and bring it to a boil.
Step 6: Now, add 2 tsp of tea leaves and sugar to your liking.
Step 7: Mix and let it come to a boil and thicken as shown in the image below.
Step 8: Pour in a cup of milk, mix, and let it come to boil again.
Step 9: Now, add a few strands of saffron.
Step 10: Mix and let the tea boil for a couple of times as shown in the image below.
Step 11: Your homemade masala chai is ready to enjoy. Strain the tea in in your favorite cup or in a traditional Kulhar.
Step 12: Garnish it with a few more strands of saffron. Serve it hot with biscuits, toasts or fritters.
Recipe Card
Masala Chai
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Tea leaves
- 1 piece ginger inch size, peeled
- 2 pieces cinnamon 1 inch sticks
- 2 pieces green cardamom
- 4 pieces cloves
- 5 pieces black peppercorn
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp sugar
- ½ cup water
- Sugar as required
- 1 cup milk
- Few strands of saffron kesar
Instructions
- Take 1 piece of ginger (inch size, peeled), 2 pieces of cinnamon (1 inch sticks), 2 pieces of green cardamom, 4 pieces of cloves, 5 pieces of black peppercorn, and 1 tsp of fennel seeds in a plate first. (Pro tip: For additional flavor and taste, you can also use black cardamom, crushed nutmeg, and other aromatic spices).
- Put them all in a traditional mortar and pestle and crush them to a coarse paste. Keep it aside. (Pro tip: You can make a powder of it by mixing it in a mixer grinder. However, for that use dry ginger, powdered or whole, and dry roast them for a couple of minutes).
- Now, in a pot, take 2 tsp of sugar and add just about 1 tsp of water to it. Melt the sugar on a low flame until it starts turning to a lovely dark color. (Pro tip: Always add a teaspoon of water while melting the sugar or else it will stick to the pan and burn).
- At this stage, pour water into the caramelized sugar. Mix it nicely.
- Then, add your masala to it, mix it and bring it to a boil.
- Now, add 2 tsp of tea leaves and sugar to your liking.
- Mix and let it come to a boil and thicken as shown in the image below.
- Pour in a cup of milk, mix, and let it come to boil again.
- Now, add a few strands of saffron.
- Mix and let the tea boil for a couple of times as shown in the image below.
- Your homemade masala chai is ready to enjoy. Strain the tea in in your favorite cup or in a traditional Kulhar.
- Garnish it with a few more strands of saffron. Serve it hot with biscuits, toasts or fritters.
