Masala Chai
Authentic masala chai simmered on the stove with black tea, milk and whole spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Ready in 15 minutes.
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- Hands-on
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 12 min
- Serves
- 2
- Calories
- 130
- Protein
- 4 g
- Per serving
- $0.50
Why this recipe works
Masala chai is spiced milk tea, brewed on the stove in homes and street stalls all over India. It's stronger, spicier and much less sweet than a coffee-shop chai latte, and it's easy to adjust once you've made it once.
- The spices simmer in water before the tea goes in, which pulls out their flavor without stewing the tea leaves into bitterness.
- Bringing the milk up to a rise twice, as chai-wallahs do, thickens it slightly and gives the tea its creamy body.
- Crushing the cardamom pods splits them open so the seeds flavor the tea; whole pods add very little.
Ingredients
You will need
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Mortar and pestle or a heavy mug
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Simmer the spices
Put the water, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the water is golden and fragrant.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Brew the tea
Add the tea bags (or loose tea) and simmer for 2 minutes, until the liquid is deep reddish-brown.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Add milk and sugar
Pour in the milk and stir in the sugar. Bring it up until it rises and foams up the sides of the pan, then lower the heat so it settles. Let it rise once more, about 3 minutes in all.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Strain and serve
Squeeze out and remove the tea bags, then pour the chai through a fine strainer into two cups. Serve hot.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Techniques in this recipe
Rolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Watch the pan once the milk is in. Chai can boil over in seconds.
- Strong black tea such as Assam or an English breakfast blend stands up to the milk and spices; green or herbal teas get lost.
- Make a bigger batch of the spiced tea base (steps 1 and 2) and keep it in the fridge for 3 days; heat a cup with milk whenever you want one.
Nutrition per serving
130 calories
$0.50 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 12% of calories | 4 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 61% of calories | 20 g |
| Fat | 27% of calories | 4 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 60 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between chai and a chai latte?
Masala chai is tea simmered with spices, milk and sugar on the stove. A chai latte is usually a sweet chai concentrate or syrup topped with steamed milk, and it's generally much sweeter and milder.
Can I make masala chai with ground spices?
Yes. Use about ¼ teaspoon each of ground cardamom, cinnamon and ginger and a pinch of ground cloves. The chai will be a little cloudy and grainy, so strain it through a fine sieve or coffee filter.
Can I make iced chai?
Yes. Make it with half the milk, let it cool, then pour over ice and top with cold milk. Brew it a little stronger than usual, since the ice dilutes it.
