Masala Chai
A fragrant, creamy Indian spiced tea simmered on the stove with fresh ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, then boiled with strong black tea and milk until rich and golden-brown.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Makes
- 2 cups (about 1⅔ cups / 400 ml total)
Steps
Before you start
- Use a small saucepan with room to spare (1½–2 quart / 1.5–2 L); milk foams up quickly and can boil over.
- Crush the whole spices right before using for the strongest aroma.
- Use loose-leaf CTC Assam tea if you can; it stands up to milk. Tea bags work too (see substitutions).
- Have two mugs and a fine-mesh strainer ready before you start simmering.
Crush the spices
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods, cloves, and black peppercorns (if using) in a mortar or under the flat of a heavy knife so the pods split and the seeds are exposed.
- Grate or thinly slice the ginger.
- Break the cinnamon stick into 2–3 pieces.
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Ready when: Pods are split open and the spices smell strongly aromatic.
Tip: Crush, don't pulverize; fine powder makes the chai gritty and bitter.
Simmer the spices
- Add the water, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns to a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Water turns pale golden-amber and smells of ginger and spice.
Steep the tea
- Add the loose tea and sugar.
- Raise the heat to medium and simmer for 1 minute, stirring once, until the liquid darkens to a deep reddish-brown.
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Ready when: Liquid is deep reddish-brown and the sugar has dissolved.
Tip: Don't boil the tea longer than this before adding milk, or it turns bitter.
Add the milk
- Pour in the milk and stir.
- Heat on medium until small bubbles form around the edge and the surface begins to rise, about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Tiny bubbles ring the edge and foam begins to climb the pan.
Tip: Stay beside the pan; milk can boil over in seconds.
Boil up and settle
- As the foam rises toward the rim, lower the heat to low or lift the pan off the burner for a few seconds until it settles.
- Return to medium-low and let it rise and settle 2 more times, about 2 minutes total, for a rich, well-blended flavor.
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Ready when: Chai is a creamy caramel-brown color and steaming hot.
Tip: Gentle rises, not a hard rolling boil, keep the milk from scorching.
Strain and serve
- Pour the chai through a fine-mesh strainer into two mugs, pressing the spices lightly to extract the last of the liquid.
- Taste and stir in a little more sugar if desired.
- Serve right away while hot.
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Ready when: Chai is hot, fragrant, and free of tea leaves.
Tip: Warm the mugs with hot water first to keep the chai hot longer.
Good to know
Tips
- For a stronger, more robust chai, use less water and more milk, or simmer the spices an extra 2 minutes before adding the tea.
- Always add the milk after the tea has brewed; boiling tea in milk alone gives a flat flavor.
- Fresh whole spices make a far more aromatic chai than pre-ground ones.
- Scale up easily: double everything in a larger pot, and add 1–2 minutes to the simmering times.
Make ahead
"Make a spice blend ahead: crush and mix the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns in multiples and store airtight for up to 1 month. Use about 1 teaspoon per 2 servings along with fresh ginger."
Storage & reheating
"Best fresh. Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Refrigerator: strained chai keeps in a covered jar for up to 2 days. Freezer: not recommended. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring, until steaming; do not boil hard."
Substitutions
- loose-leaf black tea (CTC Assam) → 2 black tea bags (Assam or English breakfast). Tag removed; tea bags give a slightly milder brew, so steep 1 extra minute.
- whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or soy milk. Heat more gently, as plant milks can separate; oat milk gives the creamiest result.
- granulated sugar → jaggery or brown sugar. Use the same amount for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness.
- fresh ginger → ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Flavor is less bright; add it with the water.
