Indian Masala Tea: Chai Tea Recipe

A cup of steaming hot tea with an earthy blend of aromatic spices- that’s what this Indian masala tea is all about. It is a breakfast and evening staple in families all across the country, and is incredibly easy to brew! 

Jump to:

• What is Masala Tea?
• Ingredients For the Masala Tea
• How to Make the Tea
• Indian Masala Tea: Chai Tea Recipe

What is Masala Tea?

Masala quite literally means spices, and this tea has the perfect blend of different Indian species that lend your tea a unique flavor and taste. Masala tea is often consumed during breakfast, or in the evening, and can really soothe your senses and refresh your mind. 

What’s best is that you don’t really need to put in a lot of effort to make it. You need just a few simple ingredients and you’re sorted. 

Ingredients For the Masala Tea

Ready to give the famous Indian masala tea a shot? Here’s what you’ll need. 

For the Masala

• Cinnamon: 1 inch 
• Cardamoms: 2-3
• Cloves: 4-5
• Ginger: 1 inch

For the Masala Tea

• Water: 2 cups
• Prepared masala
• Tea leaves: 1 tbsp
• Milk: ¼ cup 
• Sugar: 2 tsps or as per taste

How to Make the Tea

Ready with your ingredients? Here’s the quick step-by-step recipe to make the masala tea to perfection, even if you’re doing it for the first time. 

Take the spices mentioned under masala and crush them coarsely. Keep aside.

In a saucepan, add water and let it come to a boil. 

Add the crushed masala and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. 

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Next, add the tea leaves and sugar. Let the mixture boil for 2-3 minutes. 

Add the milk next and boil again for 4-5 minutes. 

Once done, pour the tea through a tea strainer into a cup. 

Serve masala chai hot with some cookies or snacks. 

Why Should I Add the Masala?

If you’re wondering why you need to go through all that process of making the masala, well, here’s a bit of insight. 

The cinnamon that you’re using for the recipe may be known for its warm and woody aroma, but it is so much more than just that. It also packs in powerful antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. 

The green cardamom offers a nice sweet fragrance to your tea. It is believed to help boost digestion and also freshen your breath naturally. 

The ginger offers warming action and can be helpful in curbing morning sickness and nausea. It is also believed to help with digestion and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. 

The clove has a sharp and sweet taste and is again, a powerful antimicrobial agent. 

The blend of these spices can instantly leave you feeling refreshed, and can help strengthen your body and digestive system. So all the effort you’re putting in to make it- it is all worth it. 

Can I Store the Masala For Later?

Yes! That’s actually the best part about this recipe. You can crush the masalas together and store them in the refrigerator to be used whenever you want to. This way, you can quickly brew a cup of masala tea for yourself, without needing to go through the process of crushing the masalas every single time. 

Just remember to store it in an airtight container and refrigerate it. It can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. 

What Else Can I Add?

With Indian teas, you don’t necessarily need to stick to the rules. You can play around with the ingredients and brew your cup with the flavors you like. 

While this recipe calls for the use of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and garlic, there are a few other ingredients that you can consider adding in if you feel like experimenting. 

• Lemongrass 
• Black pepper
• Mint leaves 
• Fennel seeds 
• Nutmeg 
• Indian basil leaves
• Dried rose petals
• Star anise

Why Make the Indian Masala Tea?

Okay, so you’re probably wondering why you should be adding these spices to your cup of tea. Well, there are actually a few good reasons why you should be doing that- apart from the flavor of course. 

Most of these herbs and spices that are added to the tea have powerful medicinal properties and can strengthen your body’s immune system, aid digestion, and also offer anti-inflammatory benefits. 

Tips & Tricks to Make the Masala Tea

Ready to give this recipe a try? Keep these little tips and tricks in mind to nail the recipe. 

• Like your tea to have a more creamy and rich flavor? Adjust the water to milk ratio a bit, and increase the amount of milk you’re putting in. 
• If you’re trying to keep your tea healthier, you can use low fat milk and replace the sugar with jaggery, maple syrup, cane sugar, honey or any other natural sweetener of your preference. 
• To lend the masala tea a unique flavor, you can also add a couple of strands of saffron into the mix. 
• Make sure you let the spices boil in the water for a few minutes. Skipping this step or adding in the spice mix towards the end will not give enough time for the spices to release their flavors, and your tea might not have that fragrance and intensity you’re looking for. 
• If you’re looking to go dairy free and still enjoy this tea, you can swap your regular milk with almond milk or oat milk.  

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

A cup of hot Indian masala tea is a soul soother in itself, and you don’t need to go in and put a lot of effort and thought into serving it. In fact, it can taste amazing all on its own too. But if you really want to take things up a notch, here are a few good serving ideas and suggestions you can consider. 

• If you’re having the masala tea in the evening, you can pair it up with a nice snack like some papdi chaat or sabudana vada.
• If you’re planning to have the masala tea in the morning with your breakfast, why not try whipping up a scrumptious Indian breakfast of aloo parathas? 
• You can also serve it with some of your favorite cookies and snacks.