Chai is a ubiquitous drink in India. It is made across the country and is drunk both at home and at tiny tea stalls on road sides everywhere. Interestingly, this beverage that so many people associate with India was actually not consumed until the time of the British Raj. India grew a large amount of tea in areas such as Assam and Darjeeling, however the majority of Indians consumed coffee. The British East India Company became concerned as they realized they were losing a vast source of income to the Chinese, who had a virtual monopoly on tea sales. Thus, the East India Company began promoting tea to Indians. At first, the Indians were skeptical, and did not want to abandon their strongly flavored coffee. But eventually someone added strongly flavored spices to a sweet and milky tea and masala chai took off! The chai is sweet and spicy with a subtle burn at the back of the throat. It is, in a word, wonderful.
The tea used in chai is very crucial to the final flavor of the tea. Many people assume that they have to use the best quality tea available and use whole leaf Darjeeling or Assam tea, and end up with chai that does not taste quite right. The tea for masala chai is a variety known as “mamri” or “little grain” tea. It is cheap and strong and holds its own against the strong spices in the chai. I recommend making a trip to an Indian grocery store to buy brands such as Lipton Yellow Label Tea
There are many ways to make chai. Some start by boiling ingredients sequentially, and others have strict rules about only stirring the chai 3 times in clockwise circles. The way that my family makes chai is relatively straightforward. We dump all the ingredients in the pot and let it come to a slow boil until it turns a beautiful, rich color. We use loose leaf tea, so it is necessary to strain the tea once it is fully cooked (having a spouted pot will really help decrease spills). Strain the tea, sit back, and enjoy.
How to Make [the best] Chai [ever]
| Prep: | Cook: | Yield: 1 eight oz serving of chai, makes about 3 cups of masala | Total: |
Delicious, authentic chai, passed down from my great-great grandmother. Spicy and sweet and absolutely wonderful!
You'll Need...
- For the chai:
- 1/2 cup milk (not skim milk, see nerdy science note above)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 to 2 tsp. sugar, or your favorite sweetener
- 1 tsp. loose tea leaves
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. chai masala depending on your spice preference, see recipe below
- For the chai masala:
- **Please see additional notes below before proceeding regarding the total amount to make as well as the amount of black pepper**
- 160 g. whole black peppercorn (or finely ground, same weight. Volume: 1 cup + 7 Tbsp)
- 125 g. whole dried ginger or ginger powder (Volume: 1 cup + 8 Tbsp)
- 50 g. cinnamon sticks (or finely ground, same weight. Volume: 1/4 cup + 2 1/2 Tbsp)
- 50 g. whole cardamom seeds (or finely ground, same weight. Volume: 1/2 cup + 1/2 Tbsp)
- 5 g. whole cloves (or finely ground, same weight. Volume: 1 Tbsp)
- 5 g. nutmeg (or finely ground, same weight. Volume: 1 Tbsp)
Directions
- For the chai:
- Pour all ingredients into a (preferably spouted) saucepan. Place over medium heat. Allow to heat until small bubbles appear around the perimeter of the milk. Stir the chai, scraping the bottom to avoid scalding the milk. When the milk comes to a boil, turn off the heat and stir well. Bring to a boil once again, turn off the heat and stir well. Allow to steep for a few minutes. Strain carefully into a cup, and serve.
- For the chai masala:
- If you are using whole spices, weigh out the appropriate amount, place in spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Mix all the spices together, store in an airtight jar in a cool, dry part of your kitchen. Do not expose to too much sunlight.
Additional Notes
The recipe was passed down in grams, I’ve tried to convert it into conventional measurements, but please be aware that the conventional measurements are of the finely ground not the whole spices. Please note, you will get best results if you weigh the spices, it’s most accurate.
The masala recipe makes a LOT of masala. Feel free to make 1/5 of the recipe, that's the easiest number to divide if you have an accurate scale.
Some have said that the recipe is a bit spicy for them. For those of you who are finding the recipe a bit too spicy, feel free to decrease the black pepper. Perhaps start by cutting the amount in half (80g) and then making a cup, if you can think you can tolerate more black pepper start adding in 10 additional grams of black pepper until you get to your perfect spice level!
Do you have extra chai masala on hand? Here are some recipes to help you use it up:
Chai Cupcakes with Lemongrass-Mint Whipped Cream
Spiced Chai Pumpkin Pie
Chai Spiced Granola
Chai with Ginger, Lemongrass, and Mint
Chai Sweet Potato Pie with Vanilla Cardamom Meringue
336 Comments
great job! may be i should start drinking tea. love you.
Writing this from Australia, what a fantastic chai recipe-Thankyou will give this a go, hopefully it will bring back memories of my trip to India! Incidentaly great website..keep it up
Thank you Charmaine! I appreciate the kind words and really hope that you enjoy the chai!
I liked your website. We have a slow food ( forgotten or slow moving traditional family recipes) movement at the Department of Hotel Management, Christ University. It would be my pleasure to put you in touch with the concerned professor so that both of you could add value to each other’s pursuits.
Regards,
Suresh Pai
Professor and Associate Dean
Christ University
Bangalore
9886645067
Hi Suresh! That sounds like a wonderful program! I would love to learn more!
Very nice recipe i love it thank for sharing with us
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This really is the best chai tea!!!! I love it thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that you like it 😊
Can you tell us which black tea you used ? Company ?
Hi Sulyn, if you look through the post, I have some links to purchase the tea I use. You can use Wagh Bakri, Lipton, or Jivraj no. 9. Hope that helps!
It is really the best tea ever. So glad you posted this- nothing compares. Yes, Damayanti should start drinking! Hope "Parle G " bisquits aren't too sweet. Where's my Indian snack mix?
WOW! Thank you!
Amazing tea It sounds delicious !!
Chai
Amazing tea It sounds delicious !!
Chai
Thanx Tanvilu for this eagerly awaited recipe. Question- about how long does this masala stay good? Is making smaller batches more frequently better than making enough once a year!
i am a ginger lover so might go generous on that and lighter on the black pepper. This stuff is sure to make the chai tea lattes look so impotent
Love your nerdy science note! You must add that to all the future recipes you are going to share with us.
I admire your passion for sharing some of the family pleasures with everyone. I could answer some of the questions, but will leave it to you. Heavenly!!
@Mom: Thanks! But don't worry, I'll post your favorite ukalo soon!
@Carol aunty: The Parle G biscuits are a little bit sweet, but not too sweet. I'm sure you've eaten them at our place before. I would have put out some of the bhusu, but I didn't have any at my house!
@Tonya: You're welcome!
@James: Thanks! It's super tasty.
@Amitbhai: This masala stays good for a pretty long time. Dad usually makes a batch 3-4 times a year and that is about the perfect amount of time. I have had a batch that still is really tasty after about a year, but you'll probably have to add more on the 1/4 tsp end and not the 1/8 tsp amount. If you don't anticipate using the chai masala frequently enough, make the big batch and then keep out only a quarter cup or so, and store the rest in the fridge/freezer. Come back and visit us and I'll !
@Kshama Aunty: Thanks, I'm so glad you liked the sciency stuff! Since you like them, I'll continue adding the science notes as they are applicable!
@Dad: Thanks for sharing all these recipes with me so I can share them with everyone else! We're finally getting around to making the family cookbook.
Thank you!
My favorite ” Chai Masala” .
Thank you, Meen! I’m so glad you enjoy it!
Hi Tanvi– just found this via Tastespotting (http://www.tastespotting.com/detail/147926/Chai-Spice-Blend) and I wonder– do you think it would be possible to pre-portion tea plus sugar plus spices into tea bags so that I could give jars of them as gifts for Christmas? I wonder if the spices will just escape and damage the ratio. Thanks!
@Rachel: You absolutely could do that! I used to do that when I was super addicted to the chai and relied on it in the mornings. I would take little premade tea bags with me when I was traveling! One thing I would recommend is to make sure you get fine mesh tea bags, rather than looser net like bags, otherwise all the tiny masala will slip out. Another recommendation is to avoid putting in sugar, unless you are absolutely sure that the person enjoys a sweeter beverage. If you are sure they do, then go ahead and put the sugar in it! That way they can just pop it into a pot with milk and water and boil it and go. Thanks for checking out my blog 🙂
you're on tastespotting again! yaaaaaaaaaaay!!!
Thanks! I am so doing this! I will give you credit, I promise. 🙂
@Pia: Yay! It's always so exciting when a picture of mine makes it!
@Rachel: I hope your friends and family enjoy it 🙂
Love this post! I'm obsessed with chai too, how can anyone NOT be?!
🙂
@Amrita: I totally agree with you! It's soooo good!
I'm a little intimidated by your spices. 🙂 But it;s worth a try for delicious homemade chai!
It’s WORTH it!
So happy you enjoyed it!
Fantastic post on chai, Tanvi! Love how you took the time to explain it so well. Sharing this!
@Lindsay: Don't be intimidated! I promise the spices aren't as scary as they sound. And you'll have a delicious treat at the end. What could be better? 🙂
@Divya: Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked the explanations.
So it's essay time at school and I miss miss miss my little DOGGY BAG of your dad's chai masala! Also, I think this spouted pot you're using is a BRILLIANT plan seeing as most of my chai wound up on my kitchen counter when I tried to pour it out of a regular pot!
hey tanvi , i have to agree that this is an authentic indian chai … to such an extent that even the pot u r using is same we use in india .Love the way you have explained . we should sip a chai together soon dearie .
found this through a Pinterest pin, and have made a huge batch to give to my daughter's teachers for the holidays. Thank you so much for sharing a wonderful recipe without using evaporated or dry milk, lol! just made my first cup – can't wait!
I've noticed that some recipes call for star anise – do you have any thoughts on how that would change the flavor? I love how spicy this is – a great wake up tea! Thanks!
I imagine that star anise would be quite delicious and give the tea a nice depth of flavor. In my part of India, we don't use star anise quite as much in our cooking, so that's likely why it never entered our tea repertoire.
I can’t thank you enough for your chai recipe. It’s positively the best I’ve tried! I bought a scale, a spice grinder, and an insane quantity of spices to keep in a New York City apartment. Per your recommendation, I purchased Taj tea and I’m addicted!
Do you have suggestions for a decaffeinated version? I’d really like to drink your chai in the evenings as well as in the mornings!
Thank you again for your wonderful recipe!
Dear Julie,
I know this is very late (almost two years!) but if you are worried about a buzz, many people in Australia (and probably elsewhere) drink tea straight before bed much stronger than this – tea has far less of an impact than coffee
Hi! As someone who is sensitive to caffeine after about 2PM, I will often do herbal or decaf teas. Some ideas for Julie: just do the chai spices and not the tea leaves. Or buy some decaf black tea leaves and make the chai with that! Enjoy.
ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Best recipe for chai yet that I've found. Thanks for posting!
@mop: Yes! Dad's doggy bags of chai are the best! And the spouted pan is completely key.
@Roopa: We should def get chai together soon!
@Dona: So glad you found it Dona. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
@Jill: Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Will try the chai masala sometimem..:)
They're tremendous travelers. They've been known to disperse over 500 miles.
Flights to kinshasa
Cheap Flights to kinshasa
Cheap Air Tickets to kinshasa
thanks! will try this soon!
Hello! I've smoked for 20 yrs. Last month I came across Old Boston Masala Chai Tea by wellbeing… let's just say it's been good for my well-being. Decreased my nicotine consumption by 2/3. However, since I can't find it in stores, I'm making your recipe, w/ honey, no milk & adding basil. I'll be making this everyday. Thank you. I needed something simple and your recipe was the simplest.
Since my supplier of loose leaf chai mix stopped selling it, I was forced to look for alternatives. Found yours and tried it and it is wonderful, best chai I have had, not that I am any expert. Not going back to the old ways, the little extra effort is worth all the flavor. I will also be paying about 20% of what I used to pay. Picked up a small gram scale on the cheap too. Thanks!
Update: Drink it every day and enjoy every sip. Have passed the link on to other chai lovers. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
It's so sad that I can't pin this. 🙁
Hi Linsey! I'm not sure why it can't be pinned. I'll try to work on it and make it 'pin-able'. Sorry!
Hey a quick question are you a "NAGAR"…coz only we and only we have this last name..a little inquisitive on that..:)I came across your blog searching for a tea masala recipe..thanks will surely give it a try.
why do some receipes have star anise?
There are a lot of regional variations on chai. Star anise is not a spice we typically use in my part of India. In parts of India where star anise is used, it often ends up in the chai.
UPDATE: Thank you to those of you who pointed out that the images couldn't be pinned. I think they should be pinnable now!
I absolutely love your blog! My best friend is from India and I'm quite taken with her cuisine but have not mastered her recipes yet. I just stumbled upon your blog and very much look forward to making your Indian recipes. Looking forward to many more to come! If the whole medicine thing doesn't work out you could always work on a cookbook! 😉
thanks for the encouragement and kind words!
I've just returned from India where I became hooked on Masala Chai. I read your recipe, headed to Tesco's, bought the ingredients and had a go at making it myself. Result! It's great, thanks very much for a delicious recipe.
So glad you enjoy it!
That was very nice, just made some chai massala to your recipe – and made a mug of tea as suggested – I just used cheap tea we use here in the UK. It reminded me of the spicy flavours we associate with Christmas spices in Christmas cake. The result was absolutely fantastic. I saved the extra chai massala powder in a jar for the next time. Luckily I had all the spices in my food cupboard as I'm already a huge fan of Indian cuisine. Thank you for this recipe.
Glad you're enjoying it!
This is such an awesome recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. I have looked at sooo many difference chai recipes, and have tried to figure out why mine doesn't taste like the ones at my favorite Indian restaurants. Now I know why — it is because of the black pepper. So many of the recipes on the web do not include black pepper in the ingredients list and this flavor was what was missing. Thanks again!
Hi Tanvi..happy to have stumbled up on your blog. Though I've been cooking for years now, I still don't know how to make a decent cup of tea..so thank u so much for this!! Pls do chk out my blog wen u get a chance..hopefully, u will like it. I am now ure 53rd follower!!
Neets
neetustastytreats.blogspot.com
I read your post and I really appreciate your experience. I will get good knowledge from there as well. Keep posting…
Tea Masala | Spices & herbs
Your chai recipe looks absolutely wonderful- I can't wait to try it. As someone who doesn't handle her caffeine all that well, I was wondering if there is any reason why decaf tea might not work (as per your nerdy science note). I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Thanks!
I think decaf tea would work great! You probably wouldn't be able to find the 'mamri' tea in decaf, but you could use a good darjeeling or a good orange pekoe tea in decaf. Even a good english breakfast tea could be used. If you are using whole leaf, loose leaf tea, I would recommend using a touch more tea leaves (about 1.5 tsp). If you can't find loose leaf decaf, I recommend cutting open your tea bags so the tea can fully infuse. Enjoy!
Love this recipe 🙂 i reduced the peppercorns to make it less spicy. Just wondering, should i roast the spices before i grind the,? My mum told me it lasts longer if it is pre roasted or it might spoil.
We've never roasted, but if you try let me know how it turns out!
Roasting the spices brings out the natural oils, I usually roast mine in a bit of coconut oil..Oh my gosh, thee best!
Hello!
I made your recipe! It was delicious! Grinding up the ingredients sounded easy – just bung 'em in the grinder but I'd totally forgotten about sieving out the sticks and stones in the spices. That was quite some work >< Just wondering, do you remove the cardamom husks? They didn't seem to fully pulverize in my grinder and so found I had to pick them out. Btw, also blogged about this so hope you don't mind me linking to your blog for the recipe. Cheers 🙂
I use just cardamom seeds not the husks. That'll probably make your work a bit easier.
I use the cardamons fully. Either slightly warm it (40 secs – 80% microwave power). Then grind it with the other spices. Or simply add 1 tbsp sugar while grinding the unwarmed cardamons.
also note some cinnamon sticks are stubborn to be fully ground. You can use the same technique.
thank you.
Wats is the chai masala proportion for 1 cup tea….as I could not understand the proportion above…
1/8-1/4t of chai masala per 1-8oz cup of tea.
Would soy milk taste ok with this?
Yup! Just be sure to boil the water and soy milk separate. Add the spices to the soy milk and the tea leaves to the water. The tea leaves don't really steep that well in soy milk mixed with water for some reason.
I’ve been loving this recipe for the past year, but I’ve recently been trying to make it with almond milk with mixed success. I’ll try your soy milk suggestion above . I’m also wondering if I need to add fat since the almond milk is 3grams of fat per cup. Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!
Hi Juleen! I think you will be okay with the amount your have! Thanks for checking out the recipe!
Thank you for this, now it all makes sense! I'll spare myself the embarrassment of telling you how I've been trying to make chai…
Looks interesting, will give this one a try soon.
This sounds like a delicious recipe. I was just wondering if there was any way I could make this into a loose leaf tea blend that I could just steep per cup in a home made tea bag? Maybe if instead of using pre ground spices I could use whole spices and just chop them coarsely?
I don't see why not! It probably would be difficult to get the spice level right, but I'm sure with trial and error you'll be able to do it. You really do have to boil it on a stove top, it won't taste the same if you just steep it in hot milk and water.
I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to post this. I've been looking for a really great chai recipe and this has to be it!!! I'm lucky enough to live near an Indian grocery store so I won't have any trouble finding what I need. Thank you again
Sounds amazing! I can't wait to try. Also, could I just use a splash of lemon to extract the flavor of the spices? My husband has milk allergies 🙁
If you're not going to use cow's milk I would recommend using a milk substitute. I've tried a couple and they don't work quite the same as cow's milk, but what I recommend is boiling the water and milk substitute in two separate pots. Add the tea leaves to the water and the spices to the milk substitute then mix together and strain. For some reason milk substitutes don't pick up the flavor of the tea quite as well as milk and water.
Thanks so much for posting this! Great results! Thanks for the "nerdy" insight too! Changed the way I looked at cooking!
Yay! Glad you enjoyed the science bit. There are some really great books to check out if you're interested in the science of cooking: Harold McGee's on Food and Cooking is incredible!
Thank you for the inspiration! My spouse and I have always enjoyed masala chai at restaraunts and from specialty food stores, this was only the second time we had tried making it ourselves and it came out lovely. We were fortunate enough to have cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole nutmeg, etc. on hand so the process of grinding everything was half the fun. Wound up drying some fresh grated ginger in the toaster oven and adding a bit of star anise, but otherwise was following recipe. Would have never had this wonderful experience without finding your site. Namaste.
so pleased that you enjoyed the recipe! I love adding fresh ginger! And star anise certainly does add some pleasing flavors as well.
Thank you Tanvi for sharing Chai Masala with us. I'm the "chai master" in my home. Daily I will have at least 4 – 6 cups. My recipe is almost same as yours just varying with what I have in spices. Sometimes I buy the ready mixed "Chai Masala" powder. I also add a pinch or two of Oregano leaves at the end which gives the chai a unique aroma.
Ooh! Oregano leaves! I've never tried that before. I'll have to try it!
I adore you for keeping such a wonderful blog and amazing passion towards food.I'm a food lover and enjoy even trying various eating styles. I've developed a great passion for tea, But isn't tea drunk for a purpose of enjoying its flavor and taste? And I suppose only a few things like cardamom can go with it and may not be a mix of all,as it can ruin the real 'tea effect' I extremely want to know about it being a one craving for the 'Best Cup of 'Tea'..You do Inspire! Love you
So I tried this recipe, it's my first time trying to make it myself since I got back from India, but it didn't work for me. The mixture never darkened and it came out tasting just like black tea with milk. Any suggestions? 🙁 Maybe it's my spice…
/hopeless in the kitchen/
Keep trying! Watch your water milk balance, and make sure you are using cow's milk. Try adding some more spice. Hopefully with some practice it'll be delicious!
Thanks for sharing your family's recipe! Just about all of the other recipes I've seen for chai call for whole spices, I assume that's because dealing with straining the ground spices is more difficult. What do you use to strain? A jelly bag?
I just use a fine mesh strainer and have not had any issues with the spices being too strong. Enjoy!
Great recipe – it was so yummy, even without the nutmeg (which I did not have at home). Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tanvi!
Thanks for sharing your family's special chai recipe. I made delicious chai for the first time since returning from India 1.5 years ago. YAY! Curious: Why is it important to bring the chai to a boil twice?
I think the milk does not take on the flavor as strongly if you just boil it once! It's really a personal preference. My grandpa likes his tea only boiled once and I boil mine twice or thrice! Try all versions and see which one you enjoy the most.
thanks a lot dear, u just have made my day…thanks a lottt…
Thanks so much for posting this. I just tried my fourth recipe for homemade chai tea, and none of them have the good strong flavor and burn that I love. Yours is more complex, so hopefully it will the "the one". Thanks again for sharing your family's recipe!
I just used this chai masala to season apple chips, and it was amazing! This may be one of my new favorite snacks. This recipe is the gift that keeps giving.
Thanks for the nerdy science note. I wanted to make a big batch of milk-free chai concentrate to freeze into cubes so I could drop them in smoothies. Because of your nerdy science note, I added some alcohol to the mixture during steeping and later simmered the mixture long enough so there's not a trace of alcohol flavor.
Hooray for being able to customize the recipe for my needs because of your nerdy note. Thanks!
Hi – I’m trying to do something similar and I’m hoping you could be more specific. How much alcohol did you use and what kind? Thanks so much!
Thanks for the recipe. Just to confirm, was this made with indan/chinese cinammon, sometimes called "cassia bark" or true cinnamon? Also, do you ground the entire cardamom or do you throw out the pods? 🙂
Can't wait to try this chai.
Thanks for your post on chai! I have now made some individual "top secret" tweaks to your recipe to make the seriously best chai in the world, but I started with your base! Mmmmmmm.
Love this recipe. It's much simpler than others I've tried. Great pics also.
Perfect! I have drunk gallons of chai all over India and Nepal. Scalding hot, sweet, and strong. Indian railways a particular favourite.
Well, your recipe is the closest I have found so far! Thank you!
This is the best! I did reduce the pepper..because 1c of pepper over powerd it to me. Does it turn out the same if you boil it in just water…and add the milk after?
It does not turn out the same at all. Please read the text along with the recipe–I address exactly your questions! I get my strainers in India, but you will always end up with a tiny bit of spice at the bottom. Some people love it. I always start swirling the cup when I am about 1/2 done to get it to evenly disperse!
Also..where do u find a sufficient strainer?? I thought I had a fine one…but I still get spice "sand" in the bottom of cup?
I know this recipe has been here for a while, but I must say this is the best chai masala I have ever tasted! And the best part is that I can make it whenever I want thanks to you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Next I will try the spiced chai pumpkin pie or chai cupcakes with lemongrass mint whipped cream. :^D On another note, this was my first attempt at making the masala myself. Thank you for making it so easy to understand.
I'm not sure if anyone has asked this, but what do you think about Almond milk with this recipe?
I think it would be good! Just boil the water and milk separately with the tea leaves in the water and the spices in the almond milk. That's the only way I've found that it works best. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for this recipe! Best chai I've ever had. 🙂
Good recipe but it's much much better made with fresh ginger.
Excellent. I've had chai a lot, but never made it myself. Recipe turned out fantastic.
I feel satisfied after finding this one.
Delicious! Now I don't have to keep going to coffee shops that load it with syrup in order to get my favorite Fall beverage. I have a question though: I tweaked it a little to make it richer by replacing some of the milk with heavy cream, and I added a little butter in it at the end. But now it doesn't taste as spicy. Could the butter or cream have toned down the spices? I like it spicy!
Hi Jane! So glad you are enjoying the chai! I would recommend gradually increasing the amount of the masala blend if you are using a fattier milk product. You might even need to double or triple it! Enjoy!
Hi thank you for this. I used to buy Chai tea bags until they stopped selling them in the supermarket. I had bought the spices but needed some clue how much of each I should use. This has been very helpful. Hopefully I can settle my IBS back down with the nice warming spices.
HEllo – like the recipe – I made it with half the pepper and ginger and kept everything else the same – however it's still too peppery for me – any suggestions please as to how to rebalance?
Hi Kavita, sorry for the late reply! You can feel free to take the black pepper down by half or even two-thirds. Feel free to customize the recipe!
WOW! That's a great Chai recipe. THANK YOU! Where I live it's very hard to obtain many ingredients. Fortunately, we had everything we needed except the tea. Found a Chinese Black that seems to work well but need to use more of it. Also found that we prefer a bit more Cardamom and Clove powders. I guess we all have the right to our own ridiculous opinions. 8^) The biscuits you show are NA in our area. But, we did find that the Walker's Shortbreads are certainly compatible. Thank you for sharing your family's recipe. It is now our GO TO for Masala Chai.
I found this recipe quite by accident and so happy I did. I put together all the spices including a quick run/shop to Chgo's large Indian District for more peppercorns.
Years ago, I lived in India this recipe reminds me so much of what I drank everyday. Thank you so much.
I loved this recipe, but the gram to cup conversions are off. For example, 125 gm ground ginger
is much more than 3/4 cup. I used the gram conversions.
http://www.aqua-calc.com/calculate/food-volume-to-weight
might help getting the correct weight to volume conversions.
Thank you! We've always used grams, so I did my best, but I'll update the recipe with the conversions using that site. Very helpful!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe. Just wondering if you freshly grind your spices or buy them pre-ground? And what measuring scale would you recommend for measuring chai spices accurately? thanks again
Great recipe. I found that you were off a little with the conversions, but regardless, I have been using this recipe for the past two years at festivals in my country, and people love it.
As a side note, I use rooibos tea as well as cutting a few grams of the ginger out, and using a little fresh stuff 🙂
Love
cool
I have always wanted to make chai from scratch like my friends who make it for me in their kitchens. Finally, after much searching on the internet, I decided that yours seemed best. I am very happy that I did. Thank you for the good baseline from which to start.
I shared your family's chai with many, both those who love chai & those who have never tried it before but now like it. Thank you for making new chai drinkers and old very happy.
My husband and I have a new addiction to Chai tea. We like to drink it in the evenings so I wanted to make my own decaf blend. Found your post on Pinterest and since I had all the spices in ground form I decided to go for it. Not sure if I'd like it, I just made 1/4 batch of the masala and jarred it up. I mixed 1/2 tsp. of the masala mix with 1 tsp. organic looseleaf decaf English Breakfast tea, the 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup whole milk, and 1 Tbsp. raw honey. WOW!!! It is MONEY!! I cannot believe how good it is (so spicy and warm) and how easy it is to make. I thought I would have to get all whole spices and make a big ordeal of this. The whole process literally took me 3 minutes to make the masala and get it simmering on the stove. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! So glad you were willing to share this wonderful family recipe!
I tried this chai some time ago at my Indian friend's home. I loved it. Than I started buying masala tea i packages (powder) It is good but I bet when I made one according to your directions, it will be delicious. Thank you. Tanvi, you are beautiful
I have tried so many chai recipes. This is the one I've been looking for. Perfection. Thank you so much!!!!
This recipe is BOMB! My husband will love it! A little spicy for me though, what is the least amount of black pepper you'd be comfortable using to cut the spice yet keep the integrity of the tea because the flavour is amazing just too spicy …. ya know?!
Actually, was I reading your chai recipe wrong? as per one of your comments about conversions…. The recipe I made ended up making a MAD STASH. Like large mason jar of the chai blend. i.e:160 g. black pepper, finely ground, (1 cup + 3 Tbsp) meant literally, 1 cup and 3 tbsp of black pepper??? I think I did it right because the flavour was unbelievable and possible the most decadent I've ever tried….. but if not, that was maybe why it was so spicy….
Or maybe they were talking about the grams vs cups….which I would know nothing about because, even with being Canadian, I can say I've never weighed a darn thing in grams hahah.
Hi Krista! I put in some updated measurements. It does make a LOT of chai masala. Feel free to half or quarter the recipe. Definitely use a weight scale that can measure in grams. It's the most accurate.
Thank you for this beautiful chai recipe. I love it and so does my family. Just wondering if you have a recommendation regarding whether the spices are bought pre-ground or if one should grind them fresh or whether some spices are best ground fresh while others no probs if bought ground ie cinnamon and ginger?
Thanks again.
It's always best to buy the spices whole. They will definitely taste better that way. For big spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, pound them in a mortar and pestle before throwing them into a spice grinder, otherwise your grinder will break.
Hi! I have been having chai at a teahouse (Townshend's in Oregon… it's amazing!). They are the first place I've had chai that makes it with a masala blend (you can see the spices settle in the cup) rather than a pre-made concentrate. It's sooooo good, but it's really expensive so I wanted to try making it myself. I also didn't want to use whole spices because i didn't want to do that much work every time I made it. The first recipe I found that used ground spices was okay, but not what I was looking for. It called for 1 tbs of everything except 1 tsp nutmeg. And no black pepper!!! Some of the tastes ended up way too strong and some too weak.
When I found yours, I adjusted the ratio in my mix, added a ton of black pepper, more ginger, and a little more cinnamon and cardamom. And this time I boiled it on the stove like you said… thanks for the science note explaining why that's necessary. It tastes INCREDIBLE! Normally I sip my tea, but with yours I can't stop gulping it down! I actually throw some whole pepper corns in the teacup after I strain the other spices out… that prevents me from drinking it too fast because I don't want to swallow the peppercorns! haha! I also tried adding some cayenne pepper… the first time ended up too spicy, but the tiniest dash makes it burn a little more.
A few questions… first, boiling the milk makes it stick to the sides, and then when I make another cup I have to wash it again. Is there a way to get it to stick less, or is it okay to boil another cup without washing? I do stir and scrape the sides with a spoon.
Doesn't throwing the tea in with cold milk/water prevent it from releasing the caffeine or flavor? I've always heard to boil water for black tea and pour it directly over, and that if you use even slightly less hot water, it's not as good. I drank two cups of this chai last night and fell asleep an hour later, so it seems like the caffeine isn't as strong as it usually is. This morning I steeped my tea the "normal" way in half a cup of water (with the masala), put it on my teacup warmer, and added the milk after five minutes… the flavor is still okay, but not quite as good. Is there a way to steep the tea in boiling water and add the milk after? I don't have a microwave. What about boiling the milk/water/masala on the stove, and then putting the tea in when the liquid comes to a boil?
What region is this recipe from? I'm going to give some of it as a gift to my mother and my best friend, and I was going to include some of the stuff you wrote about in this post… but I was wondering where specifically it's from.
Thanks again for such an amazing recipe!!!
Hi Becky! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Regarding your question, a lot of people do it the way you described by heating the milk, water, and masala then throwing in the tea leaves when it is all at a boil. You should try it and you might like it!
Others bring water to a boil, throw in the tea and the masala, then add cold milk and bring it to a boil. I don't like this method as much, because I think it makes the tea taste slightly raw and acidic, but others really enjoy it. Try both and let me know which method you like best and which gives you the best caffeine buzz! So happy that you are enjoying the recipe!
If you wanted to do it without milk, do you think that adding ghee would work as a substitute fat?
I don't think that would work very well because it would not emulsify into the water. You could just steep everything in water. It won't be chai, but it'll probably still taste good!
Your recipe sounds wonderful and I can't wait to make it ! I'd like to make the recipe from whole spices . Could you please give me the original measurements for the masala made from scratch using whole spices ? I would greatly appreciate it !
Hi Monica, the original measurements are exactly what's written above. As long as you are using weight, the mass is preserved so you get the same amount of spices whether you use whole or preground spices.
Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe! I really love it but i'm finding that is a tad to peppery for me. Of course instead of starting slow I went all in and made the full recipe. I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to tweak what I have made to reduce the peppery taste.
Thanks so much!!!
Hi Celeste, thanks for checking out the blog. I would add more cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. That should help balance it out.
I can't wait to try your chai recipe.
Things I fantasize doing to play with it:
* Could add a one inch strip of twisted orange or tangerine peel. Or lemon peel.
* Add a slice of ginger root for turbo charged tea.
* Stevia works very well as a sugar substitute. Liquid stevia solutions are easy to
try out. Add just one drop at a time and taste test until you figure out
how much is best
** When choosing whole cardamom pods, I go for pods that are green, and feel
each one. If the pod is hard and firm, its a good bet that the seeds are plump and black –
which is exactly what you want. Avoid pods that are slightly soft to the touch.
What you want is green cardamom. There is another spice called black cardamom,
which is quite different from the green cardamom pods –the black variety has a flavor
that is deeply smoky and reminiscent of eucalyptus(Vicks cough drops)
Great point! it is green cardamom that everyone should use.
Tanvi,
Just finished making your chai recipe for the first time and need your advice. First, I used fresh ginger instead of powder and put it in the masala jar along with all the other spices to keep in the frig. Was this incorrect? I also ended up with 4 oz instead of 8 oz of chai so assume I let it boil too much (although it never came to a full rolling boil)? Also, the chai had the sweet taste ( used Stevia) and the pleasant burn you described but I couldn't differentiate among the spices. In other words, it didn't have layers of interesting tastes that I expected.Can you suggest changes or was I wrong to expect this complexity ? I'm not giving up so will wait patiently for your guidance. Many thanks for sharing this interesting recipe ! Mary
Hi Mary, you are supposed to use dried powdered ginger not fresh ginger. Also, I'm not sure how you ended up with 4 oz if it never boiled. You should use 1/2 cup (4oz) milk and 1/2 cup (4oz) water for a total of 1 cup (8 oz) per serving. I think if you make the spice blend with the powdered dried ginger and allow it to boil it'll have more complexity. Also, be sure to use a full fat milk.
ThanksTanvi
I will get dried powdered ginger and keep practicing. It's already getting better ! Mary
I made both the chai and the garam masala last weekend, and they were both impeccable. After many attempts at using whole spices, nothing gets the flavor into the milk like powder. I did a few renditions of the chai (the garam masala was spot on), and for the commercial-style coffeehouse chai, as stated above by the author, I cut the pepper in half, added cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger, and a touch more nutmeg. Also, I whittled down the amounts and rather than using the ounces in the recipe, I replaced with 1/4 ts. Therefore I wind up with very small, always fresh batches of the stuff.
Thanks for posting these recipes!
Great idea! I personally like the spicy kick, but everyone should definitely modify to their own taste preferences.
Tanvi, that looks like the best chai tea I've ever seen. Can't wait to try it! Goodness me.
If I were you I will make a video of cooking chai and show how it is done along with the text you have on this page.
Hi Zarif, that is a great idea! I’ll work on my video editing skills and try to do one at some point!
Hi Tanvi, I’ve just made a cup of chai with your recipe. It totally transported me back to the chai shop I used to visit everyday in Varanasi. Thank you so much!
Hi Lee! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this. It’s one of the few recipes that uses all ground spices so I can make it batches. I’m allergic to cinnamon so having an authentic homemade recipe is very welcome.
Hi Kareemah, I’m glad the recipe is working for you! I’m sorry about your cinnamon allergies, but there are so many other spices in this recipe that I imagine you won’t miss it terribly. You might want to increase some of the other spices to your preference for balance.
Love your recipes, thanks for share with us, Good healthy chai recipes.
Thank you, Lean!
Can I use almond milk or coconut milk? Is there enough fat content to properly absorb the flavors?
Hi Ela! Thank you for checking out the recipe. I have never tried using almond milk or coconut milk, but I have tried using soy milk. One thing I have noticed is that the tea does not seem to steep as well in those milks. I suspect that this is because they are made to mimic the mouth feel of regular milk and so have a lot of chemical thickeners in them. What I’ve done with soy milk in the past is to boil the spices with the milk substitute and steep the tea leaves in water and them combine the two. It’s not quite as good, but it seems to work better then boiling them all together. Let me know what you try and what works well for you! Also, if there are options available, use a milk substitute with a higher fat content.
Delicious. Thank you!
I added a half vanilla bean and used homemade almond milk…such a good recipe, Thank you
Hi Tanvi Thank you so much for sharing this family recipe! I went to Bollywood in Portland and had the best chai ever…and have been on a mission to find just what I love best.
The first time my daughter and I made the tea and with great anticipation and in fact, squeals of excitement…and upon taking our first sips, ran together to the sink to spew it out. It made for great laughs. BUT the second try, we followed the directions carefully and are IN LOVE!!! This is even better than Bollywood!
I really like the science note too. I was using low fat milk and it just was not as rich and spicy. Mystery solved, thank you! So another science question: why boil it twice? Does it release the flavors more? Also, I have an electric stove that takes a really long time to come to a boil…should I add the tea later so it does not steep too much?
I added a little fresh turmeric and ginger root to mine also…do you know if the root would have more anti-inflammatory benefits than the powder?
I am thinking about gettting growler jars with the final product, milk and all to give as gifts. Would it keep for a week or two?
Sorry, lots of questions…you have inspired me. Thanks!!!!
Hi Ellie! I’m thrilled to hear that you have enjoyed the chai so much! I live in Portland, too, and think Bollywood’s chai is good, but I definitely prefer my family’s recipe. I’m glad that you’ve started using full fat milk. It definitely makes a huge difference. To answer your questions:
1. I boil it twice, because I think that extra boil helps to deepen the flavors and steep the tea even more.
2. I personally like my chai to have a strong tea flavor. If you don’t like that extra sharp tea flavor, feel free to add the tea leaves later on. My husband prefers the chai when the tea leaves have been added just before the milk comes to a boil for the first time, so if he’s drinking with me that’s what I usually do!
3. I’m certainly not an expert on the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and ginger, but a quick review of the scientific literature on curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) does not indicate if the anti-inflammatory properties are from the powdered or the raw form. I say, pick whichever one you like better and go with it! With ginger, I prefer the flavor of the sliced raw root as a flavor boost, because there already is a good amount of dry, powdered ginger in the masala.
4. I definitely do not think that the chai will keep well in growlers. It would certainly have to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. Also, having refrigerated the chai and reheated it in the past, the flavors change quite a bit (and, at least to me, not in the best way). If you’d like to give it as I gift, I suggest making small jars of the chai masala, putting a little card in with the chai recipe (and a link to the blog, please!), and to make it pretty, perhaps tying a piece of fresh or dried ginger and some fresh or dried lemongrass stalks in a decorative way.
I hope this was helpful! I’m so happy you checked out the blog, and I’m doubly happy to hear that you are so excited about the chai!
Wow, Tanvi! Thanks so much for the thorough and helpful reply! I am actually from the smaller east coast version of Portland, Asheville, NC. I visited Portland last summer and really enjoyed it! I appreciate your saving me the hard earned lesson about the growlers. I did intend to refrigerate but I will go with the masala gift…and the extra touches sound nice! The extra fresh ginger and turmeric roots add so much flavor/ kick. I have never used lemongrass…but will now. I am so glad I found your blog and will definitely pass your link to my friends. We all are trying to learn different Indian specialties, very authentic so you are a wonderful resource!
Could I make this with just milk, no water?
You definitely could, but I don’t like it as much! It’s a bit too creamy for me. That being said, try it and you might like it!
This is fabulous…I cut the pepper by 1/4 for my personal taste. This is going to save me a lot of money buying bottles of chai. Thank you
Hi Deborah! So glad you liked it! And I’m glad that you are making it your own!
Is it okay to dry fry all the spices before grinding them?
Is okay to dry fry the spices before grinding them?
Is it okay to fry the spices before grinding?
Hi John! I would not fry the spices before grinding them. If you are worried that the spices are a bit stale or damp, you can heat them in a very low oven (150-200F) for a few minutes and then grind them. Thanks for writing!
Hi Tanvi,
I drink chai every day but the brand I like is a bit expensive (Blue Lotus Traditional Masala) so I’m excited to try your recipe and make it myself!
I ordered Taj Mahal Brook Bond loose-leaf but they sent me Taj Mahal Orange Pekoe loose-leaf tea instead. Is this the right type of tea to use or should exchange it?
Thank you kindly,
Jenny
Hi Jenny! I hope you like the recipe! You should be just fine with orange pekoe. It’s a slightly milder flavor that the Brook Bond, but it should work. I have an aunt that does a blend of Brook Bond, Orange Pekoe, and Darjeeling tea and it is very delicious!
I do! I love it! It is just as good if not BETTER than the expensive tea I was buying! I started with 1/2 the pepper and upped it to 120g. That was plenty of kick for me.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us, you’ve made a friend for life!!! 🙂
I noticed in one of the comments, you mentioned that you only use the seed of cardamom, not the green pod. I didn’t see that in time and ground up the green seed pods. It was also the only variant of whole cardamom I could find. How do you get the seeds out?
Does grinding up the pods effect or weaken the cardamom flavor?
Thank you, Tanvi. I’m so excited to have made my own chai!
Replace the word ‘pods’ with husks. You likely understood my mis-wording but thought I’d clarify to be sure.
Hi Jenny! I’m so glad to hear that you are happy with the chai, and happy that you’ve modified it to make it the way you like it. With regard to the cardamom, if you use the same number of grams of whole cardamom, the flavor of cardamom will likely be a bit diluted. The husks have very little flavor, but they also don’t weigh a whole lot! To make up for it, just throw in a bit more cardamom before you grind. The whole pods certainly won’t adversely affect the flavor.
If you’d like to buy the whole cardamom seeds, your best bet is to go to an Indian grocery store or look online. Some reputable websites are Penzeys and Patel Brothers. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! I was wondering where you suggest buying the whole spices? Do you have a favorite online retailer? Stores in my area don’t sell whole spices like these 🙁 Thanks!
Also – when you use whole cardamom, do you grind the pod and the seed, or just the seed??
Hi Christina! I think that Penzey’s does an excellent job with whole spices. They are available online and have always had good quality whenever I’ve purchased from them. Additionally, Patel Brothers products can be purchased online as well and has high turnover for spices. With regards to the cardamom, please use cardomom seeds and not the whole pod. I’ve updated the recipe to reflect that, as well. Thank you for catching that so I could clarify!
I made the chai masala last night and have already made the tea twice today! it’s amazing!! by far the best recipe I’ve found, and I’ve tried a lot trying to find a good recipe! also got to browsing the blog and the rest of the dishes look amazing!! I’m transitioning to become a vegetarian and I feel like this blog just made it a little easier:)
Hi Iman! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the chai! And I’m happy that you liked browsing through the other recipes. Keep checking back in periodically as most of the recipes I post are family recipes, a lot of which are vegetarian! Thanks for checking it out!
Yummy! I Love chai, thank you so much for sharing how to make it on your blog!
I just ordered this chai spice blend on etsy, and using your method it is truly amazing, so warming and comforting on these winter nights!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/263470098/medicinal-masala-chai-blend
Glad you like the method! If you have time, I would definitely encourage you to make the spice blend. It’s pretty tasty!
Hi Tanvi, thank you for the recipe! Few questions:
is it only 1/4 of a teaspoon in spices? What if I want to use fresh ginger?
Can I store the compound in a mason jar?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Flora! Thank you for checking out my chai recipe! You are certainly welcome to use more masala if you want your chai to be spicier. I tend to use a modestly heaping 1/4 tsp personally. If you would like to use fresh ginger, I would still recommend making the chai masala as written and when you brew the chai add in a thin slice or two of fresh ginger or a small amount of grated ginger. If by compound you mean the masala blend, then yes, absolutely store in a mason jar! I don’t recommend storing the chai after it is made as the flavor gets altered with storage. Let me know if you have other questions! I hope you enjoy!
Hi Tanvi – Thanks for your recipe. I have tried it and love the ‘bite’ that it has. My question is the use of dried versus ground spices. I used the ground spices that one finds in an American grocery store. Would it be richer if I got dried spices from an Indian grocery or online and ground them?
Hi Miki! Thank you for checking out this recipe! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it so far. I definitely think that there is more flavor and more of a bite when you grind spices fresh yourself. Once spices have been ground, their aromatic oils start to oxidize and the flavor gets steeped away. If you’ve already made a batch of the masala with pre-ground spices, stick with it, and when you make your next batch try using freshly ground ones and see how it goes! Keep me posted!
Hi thnaks for the receipe, i love it!!!! I add just a little slice of butter, tomake more creamy my chai.
So glad you are enjoying it! A pat of butter makes everything better 🙂
very tasty, thanks.
I’m so happy you like it!
This stuff is slammin’! I’ve stopped trying to go easy on the milk and sugar and have accepted that the strong spices need the creamy milk and the sweet sugar to round out all the flavors.
I’m so happy you like it! You’re totally right about it needing the milky element because it makes the flavors balance really well!
I love your chai! Do you have a family recipe for cardamon coffee too? Thanks!
My family is primarily chai drinkers, but one of my aunts does drink coffee with cardamom. She tends to put in a few pinches of cardamom powder when she brews it up! My husband’s family is South Indian, so I’ll investigate with them and keep you posted.
Thanks, Tanvi. I will try that in the morning and look forward to hearing more.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! My mother and I have been wanting to make some homemade chai, and this looks perfect. I’ll have to post how it turns out! Thanks!
Please do let me know how it turns out! I hope you enjoy it.
I think most people would agree with your article. I am going to bookmark this web site so I can come back and read more articles. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Can’t wait to try this!
Loved the Nerdy science note! It made me understand why some recipes use coconut oil.
Absolutely! Fat is an incredible flavor extractor. Glad to hear you enjoyed the note. Hope you like the recipe too!!
I had a friend bring me back some chai masala and tea from India a couple of years ago, then I ran out of the chai spice mix last winter with a pound of tea to spare. :/ I found your site looking for a remedy for that situation. I made a big batch following some general proportion guidelines from your recipe and it was great! I did add some ground vanilla beans as well, and it was a lovely addition. I just ran out of the masala mix again and came back to remember some details, made another batch… and then I ran out of tea with no Indian grocery anywhere near. But you thought of everything and even had a link to an amazon listing of the right kind of tea! So next week I’m back in chai-business at home again. Thank you! Oh, I also steeped the spice mix and some tea in some milk/heavy cream for an ice cream base. Whoa. That’s worth trying.
Hi Amy! I’m so happy to hear that you found the chai. Adding in the ground vanilla beans sounds absolutely incredible. I’ll have to steal your idea and try it myself! I’m glad the links were helpful, too. The right type of chai is important. I linked to my favorite brand, which is the Jivraj one. But of course, everyone has their own preferences, so try a bunch and settle on your favorite. I’ve done the chai ice cream too, and it is soooo good! One day I’ll get a recipe up on this blog! Thank you, again, for enjoying this recipe and for checking out my blog!
I had to adjust the pepper as I found it far to strong, the amounts on the original recipe could be made in a smaller version perhaps one quarter, as smaller amounts may be used for one or two people ,and would not go to waste or loose it’s flavour.
Hi Sandra! Thanks for your feedback. I actually address both of those issues in the ‘additional notes’ of the recipe. I recommend dividing the recipe by 5, since a few of the measurements are just 5 grams so it’ll probably be easiest to do it that way. And with regards to the pepper, we love our tea super spicy, but definitely understand that that’s not to everyone’s taste. What I recommended in the additional notes portion is to start off with only 1/2 of the recommended amount of pepper and adjusting up if you’d like it to be spicier. Hope that helps!
Hi! I’m really excited about making this chai masala and will use the proportions in the recipe for my daily tea. However, I am wondering if you have a suggestion for how to make a large batch to serve at a gathering. I would like to use a large hot beverage dispenser but not sure on the best way to do this. What proportions should I use? Should I have the guests add in their own milk and/or sweetener after dispensing the hot masala, like I see them do in the restaurant that I usually get my chai from, or just make a large batch on the stove and put it in the dispenser? Any suggestions you can give me are greatly appreciated. Thank you for the great blog and recipe!
Hi Annie! Glad you’ll be using this recipe, be sure to look at the additional notes section to make sure that the spice level works for you!
With regards to the large batch question, the recipe doubles, triples, etc. easily, but my recommendation would be to increase slightly, the amount of masala and tea leaves.
So, basically, you figure out how much chai you want to make and use half milk and half water. If you’re making a half gallon of chai (2 quarts or 8 cups), I would use 4 cups water, 4 cups milk. I probably would use about 10-12 tsp of tea leaves (because larger batches tend to dilute the flavor), and about 1-1.5 tablespoons of masala for the same reason. If you use that as a rough metric, you can easily make a gallon or more of chai.
My recommendation would be to make it with the milk and water together and hold off on adding the sugar. That way, after it is dispensed, people can sweeten it as they like.
I hope that’s helpful, and feel free to get in touch with other questions.
This is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I’ve been making it with black tea, but I didn’t want caffeine tonight so I just put the sugar and spice into a cup of hot milk and it was still delicious. (And I normally hate hot milk.)
Hi Jess! I’m so happy to hear that you have enjoyed the recipe! And that is one of my favorite night time drinks, just a bit of masala in warm milk with sugar. It’s so soothing! I will only drink hot milk if it’s spiced this way. In my family, we call that masalo. I’m so glad you discovered it on your own. Happy thanksgiving!
Amazing recipe! Was dying to find a recipe like this to give as gifts. I added 3 g. star anise, 5 g. of allspice, 5 g of vanilla beans. For the ginger I used 1/2 ground ginger and 1/2 crystalized ginger. Ground it all in my vitamix using the flour container. I sifted it all to remove lumps. Incredible!!!!
Those sound like incredible variations! What a great idea! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Made as posted though I did reduce the black peppercorns to 23 g. for a 1/5 recipe. For my young Indian guest, I made her Chai with almond milk. The other pot for me used whole milk. I used demerara sugar, though I think that jaggery might be good as well. Excellent. What a lovely way to end an Indian feast.
In the future I might add some star anise and try the masala with dried ginger which I might find more present than the ginger powder. I wanted more ginger flavor.
I love making chai with Demerara sugar! So delicious. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I bet that jaggery would be wonderful. Star anise would be delicious as well! If you want more ginger flavor with the blend you have now, you can try adding some sliced fresh ginger. I have a lemongrass ginger chai variation that does that. The link is in the additional notes section of the recipe. So glad you’ve enjoyed it so far!!
All great ideas. I am looking forward to investigating the options.
Thank you! This is the first chai I’ve ever made! There’s so many random sites to choose from and I chose yours since the two of you look adorable and your site looked personal. Definitely not like another milled out one. I used my vitamix to make the masala (that thing can make everything, totally essential in a kitchen) and I have an Indian grocery store a few blocks away to get all of the essentials. Have you made chai with star anise? Any recommendations on modifying the recipe to include it? Lastly I’d like to make a larger mason jar full of concentrate. Just don’t want it to get bitter by over steeping the tea or over boiling the spices. Any recommendations on that? I look forward to trying out your food recipes 🙂
Hi Margaret, Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this chai recipe. I’m also 100% with you on the vitamix. They are amazing! To answer some of your questions, I personally have never made chai with star anise. I’ve had chai with star anise and have enjoyed it, though! I find that the star anise can be a bit overpowering, so my recommendation would be to add about 5-10 g of powdered star anise to the full amount of chai masala called for in the recipe and then increase from there. You can also, of course, plop in a half to one star anise into the chai as you are making it to see how you like that too! You may wish to decrease the ginger and cardamom as well, because sometimes those flavors can clash.
In terms of a concentrate, I’ve never actually tried making a concentrate for chai. My best guess would be to make a chai simple syrup: equal parts water and sugar, steeped with three to four times the tea leaves and spices for volume of water. I would guess that if you bring everything to a boil and let it steep for about 15 minutes, that should be a good balance, you could then stir that into warm water and milk. But, your question has inspired me to pursue this further, because I think a chai simple syrup would be delicious in so many things, so stay posted and I’ll work on a recipe! When I was in college or travelling, I used to make little individual tea bags with the right amount of chai masala and tea leaves for an individual cup. That might be a fast way to speed up the chai making process. It’s not as good as boiling everything but is certainly more efficient! Thank you for getting in touch.
No one else seems to be having this issue, but I don’t see an actual “recipe” anywhere. I have no idea where to even begin. I’ve viewed the site using Internet Explorer and Firefox (using both my computer & phone) and although I can see the four sections, pictures and commentary, there is no information on the measurements. I’m baffled because everyone else seems to know it or can see it. The only live link I see if for garam masala, but nothing for chai. Would you be willing to email it to me or repost it here? Thanks!
Hi Tiffany, I’m having some issues with the site right now. Do you mind checking back in later? I’m sorry it’s not working! I can leave another comment when things are back in normal working order.
I think I have resolved the issue. Please refresh the page and let me know if you still can’t see it! I’m so sorry about the glitch!
Same here about the recipe being missing! Just wanted to let you know it wasn’t an isolated case.
Thanks, Virginia. I’m sorry for these issues. I’ve reached out to my plugin developer to see if they can solve the issue. Apologies!!
I think I have resolved the issue. Please refresh the page and let me know if you still can’t see it! I’m so sorry about the glitch!
I have added this recipe to pepperplate, if you would like to grab it. There are two sets of weights…. the original, and then divided by a fifth which was a better amount for me.
http://www.pepperplate.com/sharedrecipe.aspx?id=48fddb19-6e27-41d7-b8f8-2d13e1c501ab
Thanks for pitching in, Susan. Hopefully this issue gets resolved soon!
My pleasure. Least I can do in exchange for your recipe generosity.
You’re so kind! Thank you! I think I may have fixed it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but thank you for sharing your personal link.
Hello, please ignore my post from earlier today. I got hime and tried your website again and an entire bottom section opened that was never there earlier. Must be something in a firewall??? But I see the full ingredient list and process now. Yay!
Hello!
I think I’m a little late to the party as I see you’ve had this recipe up for a long time 🙂 I have just made it and love it! Thank you so much. I was also glad with your warning for the pepper because a smaller amount is good for me.
I do have one question: I used finely ground spices and noticed that these go through the strainer. So after drinking the chai, I realised a lot of the spices remained on the bottom of my cup. Do you use an especially fine strainer or do you just accept the spices sinking to the bottom of your cup and leaving them there? 🙂
Kind regards,
Catharina
Hi Catharina,
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the chai, and glad that you cut down the pepper to your liking! With regards to your question about the strainer, the strainer is primarily to capture the big spice particles and the loose tea. Some spices always slip through. In my family we lovingly refer to this as the chai dregs! I sort of think of it in the same way as Turkish or Greek coffee: some silt always gets left behind. I personally don’t enjoy the dregs, but my dad loves it, so when I’m drinking chai with him, he’ll finish my dregs. Otherwise, I try to leave behind as little actual chai as possible, when I ultimately wash the dregs down the sink! I hope that helps!
Thank you! We’ve been drinking lots of chai and leaving just a little bit of dregs every time 🙂
Sounds just about right! Glad you’ve been enjoying it.
Using over a cup of black pepper makes this fairly unpleasant. I’ve been trying everything I can to water down that taste, which completely overpowers the other flavors. I assume from reading the recipe that you meant over a cup of ground black pepper, right? Way too much. It doesn’t allow any of the other flavors to come through. Also, nobody ever mentions that these mixes need to be strained over and over again. Otherwise you end up with a bunch of gritty sludge in the bottom of your cup. I’ve sifted it about 8 times, and I still have grit in my drink. Maybe other people are letting it sit, and only drinking the top part.
Hi Stacey! I’m sorry to hear of your issues with the chai. With regards to the black pepper, I mention that in the post that we really like our chai to be super spicy, but most people would benefit from halving the black pepper. In case you missed it, I’ve copied it below:
“Some have said that the recipe is a bit spicy for them. For those of you who are finding the recipe a bit too spicy, feel free to decrease the black pepper. Perhaps start by cutting the amount in half (80g) and then making a cup, if you can think you can tolerate more black pepper start adding in 10 additional grams of black pepper until you get to your perfect spice level!”
Additionally, the recipe is meant to be done in grams. I had numerous requests for volume measurements, so they may not be very accurate, hence getting more black pepper than you want.
With regards to the grit, I hope you didn’t miss the instruction to strain the chai before drinking. I use a fine mesh strainer to strain the chai. Some spices always still slip through. In my family we lovingly refer to this as the chai dregs! I sort of think of it in the same way as Turkish or Greek coffee: some silt always gets left behind. I personally don’t enjoy the dregs, but my dad loves it, so when I’m drinking chai with him, he’ll finish my dregs. Otherwise, I try to leave behind as little actual chai as possible, when I ultimately wash the dregs down the sink! I hope that helps!
Thank you so much for share this recipe!?
I was looking for it
Bye bye expensive Starbucks!! ?
welcome homemade chai tea ☕
I hope you enjoy it! It definitely will save you money in the long run!
I tip my hat to your great great Grandmother! This chai was positively divine. It was my first time making my own, but I needn’t to look any further – this is the only recipe I ever need. I had to adjust accordingly because at first it was just a little bit too spicy for me. I upped the rest of the ingredients by 20% and it was perfect. For future use, I’ll just use 25g instead. THANK YOU so much. I’m now off to look at the rest of your recipes! ^_^
Hi Melissa! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and that you made it your own!! I’m glad that you found a balance of spice that has worked well for you, too. I hope you enjoy some other recipes from the blog. Please keep me posted if any questions come up!
Hey Tanvi,
What can one do if there’s too much cloves in the masala? Is there any spice that I can add to neutralize it? I used (all ground spices) a cup each of ginger and cardamom, and half a cup each of cinnamon, pepper and cloves (which was the mistake, i should have used less cloves), and a tbsp of nutmeg. All i can taste is cloves, help! 🙁
Hi Sowjanya, I apologize for the late reply. It looks like you used about 8 times more clove than what the recipe called for! I think adding just a pinch of masala to the chai and then making another batch using gram measurements would be helpful. Good luck!
Do you have any tips for making chai in a large quantity to serve at a party/event? I’ve seen it done, but no idea on how to guess the measurements!
Hi Katie! I apologize for the late reply. It’s a bit tricky to make for large groups, but I tend to just do the math and scale up the recipe. For some reason I find that I need about 25% more tea leave and masala than what you would think from scaling. Good luck!
Hello there! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I love an extra spicy cup of chai 🙂
I am wondering if you can give me some tips for steeping the tea leaves. When I used to make chai in India, it was a rich medium brown color. I find the same at every Indian restaurant. But every time I make it at home, I have it on the stove for almost half an hour and it only stays a pale, barely beige color. Am I using too much milk? I do 50/50 milk and water or maybe slightly more milk than water. I’ve tried it with whole milk, skim milk, even plant-based milk. I use Lipton darjeeling loose tea , ground masala spices and fresh ginger. Any advice? I miss the authentic taste! Thanks so much!
Hi LP! Great question. To get a really strong tea flavor, you should do less milk and more water, maybe 1/3 cup milk, 2/3 cup water. Sometimes people will boil just the milk, spices, and sugar together at a rolling boil for about 30 seconds to a minute and then add milk to taste. Try both and see which one you like better! Let me know how it goes!
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I tried this recipe today, and WOW. It’s incredible! I used Taj Mahal tea (and you cannot imagine how excited I was to actually find a brand you suggested 😛 ), halved the pepper, and lightly cracked the cardamom pods, but the rest was as stated in the recipe and yummm. It feels like a warm hug, or the sort of glow you get from drinking really really good hot chocolate <3
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it is truly fantastic, and I look forward to experimenting with it in the future 🙂
Hi Britt! I am so so so happy to hear how much you loved the recipe! Good call on customizing it with half the pepper and a light crack on the cardamom. I’m totally with you on it feeling like a warm hug, it’s just so good! Keep me posted with your experiments in the future!
The Best EVER!!!!
Thank you. I have this every night after dinner with my husband. I actually look forward to our tea time!!
Hi Poppy! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying the tea and you and your husband are having some lovely evening tea time!
Hello! I LOVE chai tea, but I have to be very careful because I have a severe allergy to black pepper (a great allergy to have, no? hahaha). The tricky bit: I love the ‘heat’ that pepper adds (learned this before the allergy became intolerable). Do you have any suggestions for substitutions? Thank you!
I’m sorry to hear about your pepper allergy! Perhaps you could try a pinch of mace for spice? I think it might be best to make the blend as is without pepper and experiment with different spices in individual servings. You could try mace, star anise, adding more cinnamon or ginger, or even some Kashmiri chili! Let me know how it goes.
Just saw this! Will absolutely have to give it a try (and report back!)
Hi Tanvi! I came across this recipe the other day and am excited to make it with my sister. I just have one question. I’ve always been told to never boil milk, because it will curdle. Is there something in the ingredients that prevents this, or should I keep it at a simmer instead of letting it come to a rolling boil? I also had the thought that maybe the milk is supposed to curdle, because it could be strained off at the end. Any advice/nerdy science info you can give me is greatly appreciated!
Hi Noel! Milk will only curdle when boiled if it is spoiled. If you have non-homegenized milk, it will separate into a cream layer and a milk layer. When the cream layer is removed, it decreases the percent of milk fat by a small amount. So as long as you are using non-expired, fresh grocery store milk you should be good to go!
Hi Tanvi – Thank you so much for sharing your chai recipe – it is exactly the one I was looking for! I want to make my own chai so I can control the spice (more please!) and how much sugar is added (not too much). This is perfect! I make chai every morning and now it is exactly how I like it.
Hi Mary! So happy to hear you are enjoying the recipe! That’s the best part about doing it from scratch, full customization!!
I was looking for a really strong, spicy Chai recipe and stumbled across your recipe. Its AMAZING ! I was feeling very sorry for myself and a cup of your Chai, sweetened with honey, has made me feel so much better. Thankyou for this recipe 🙂
Hi Molly! So happy to hear that you are enjoying the recipe! Honey sounds delicious!
The Masala chai is quite lovely. I did use the 1/5 recipe as I wanted to be sure this would work for me. Easier to adjust. I did double the cinnamon and left the black pepper where it is.
When I made the chai, I wanted to have a good tea flavor so I steeped the tea alone with the 1/2 teaspoon of masala (boiling water added) for about 10 minutes. Then I added the milk, bringing it up in temp until I saw small bubbles around the edges like you note in the recipe. I let that steep for about 10 minutes before straining it.
I quite like the flavor. I did double the Masala used as I quite like a good hit of flavor. I was hesitant about the amount of black peppercorns added yet I’m glad I followed the recipe. The blend holds well together.
I see many cups of chai Masala in my future! Thank you for sharing your family recipe.
Hi Suz! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and happy to hear that you’ve customized it to fit your preferences. I do the same as you and double the masala! So delicious!
Im really anxious to try this tea.
Thank you so much for sharing your great great grandmothers recipe, what a treasure! I love authentic traditional cooking from any culture, but am very partial to India. I just made a huge batch. I love to have a big cup of chai in the morning with my Idli and Sambar.
That sounds like a wonderful breakfast! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy the chai!
I made up the masala recipe in one-fourth proportion to make sure I liked it. I cut the pepper down to one-eighth of the recipe since I know I don’t care for too spicy. It took two cups to get the sugar right. Perfect. Thank you for this wonderful recipe and for the added context.
I’m so happy that you were able to figure out a good spice level and the right sweetness level for you! That’s the beauty of making the spice blend yourself, you’re able to fully customize! Thank you for trying it!
So delicious !
Greetings from México.
So happy to hear that you enjoy it!
Hi Tanvi,
Do I need to grind the spices? The Indian people I’ve watched making masala chai used the whole spices and then strained the tea when it was done.
Thanks!
Hi Angela, it’s up to you! In my family (we’re all Indian) we’ve always ground the spices because it increases the surface area to extract flavor from the individual spices. It also ensures consistency from cup to cup and decrease whole spice waste. You’re welcome to try both and do whatever you prefer.
So far so good, this spice blend is the closest I’ve seen to one I’m trying to re-create from a pre-made version (every time I find something ready made it suddenly gets discontinued so I want to be prepared + I prefer to make things from scratch!)
I LOVE black pepper too, and I took your note to half it and while I might need to dial it down a bit I adore the kick it gives without being overbearing!
I did add Star Anise (which is in the blend I’m trying to re-create) & am still fiddling about with my preference as I’m not a huge fan of ginger.
But thank you so much for sharing this and all the fun & interesting notes! <3
Hi Aradia! I’m so happy that you’ve been working on making the recipe your own and adding star anise. It’s a really common ingredient in chai, but interestingly, one that my family doesn’t use! Thank you for checking out the recipe!
hi Tanvi,
this is such a great chai tea, i’ve been searching for a recipe that would suit me, and found yours, and i am SO grateful 😀
i’ve been only drinking chai tea from the shops ad once the real one, when my friend served one (real, real) the shop one tasted ever so bland now!!!! yeeeey, peppercorn is great, i have not had a nutmeg, and had to omit it, i added aniseed though ;p, didnt have dried ginger, but added chopped fresh (just to chai, not to masala lol)
LOVELY!
Hi Asia! I’m so happy that you enjoy the recipe! And I’m happy to hear that you made it your own. Fresh ginger is totally delicious in chai!!
Hello, good recipe, and am also thinking of what kinds of dishes I can use a little of the Masala in to give then a fuller flavor. Question about milk Do you use Goat milk? I’ve been reading a bunch of comments on other recipes that mention it. Any thoughts on that?
Hi Charlie! There are a couple of linked recipes in the blog post that talk about other uses for chai masala. I mostly use it in sweet preparations (pie, cupcakes, etc), but I bet it would be pretty delicious in Moroccan or north Indian dishes. I’ve never tried goat’s milk chai, but I bet it would be delicious! You might want to do a slightly different ratio of milk to water (slightly more water) because of how tangy goats milk is. Please let me know how it goes if you try it!
Oh my! I made this and my daughter and I, who are real chai fanatics, just loved this! I only used half the peppercorns and it was perfect to our taste.
Hi Sharon!! I’m so happy you and your daughter loved this! Thank you for trying out the recipe!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I added a bit more cardamom to the spice mix as well as dried homemade orange and mandarine peels. It gave the tea a nice citrusy aftertaste! Looking forward to reading more tea recipes in the future!
That sounds absolutely delicious! I’m glad you like it!!
The Jivraj 9 recommendation is an interesting one. It’s the one commonly seen CTC I haven’t yet tried. I use an organic Assam CTC from Upton Teas, available online.
Also, I shred organic yellow ginger root (skin snd all, post rinsing) into the mix. Whole milk is great with it. I love the orange peel idea mentioned above. Chai For Life.
It’s a local brand in the town my parents are from. Your recommendation sounds great! And the fresh ginger is always a welcome addition.
I found this post almost 4 years ago after watching lots of Bollywood movies and wanting to make this drink I saw everyone drinking… I’ve made so much of this chai! I made it for my now-husband the first time I cooked dinner for him when we were dating, I’ve made it so many times I’ve hosted people at my house, so many times just for myself, I even gave it as Christmas gifts to coworkers a couple years ago – a small jar of the masala and a small jar of tea leaves with instructions on how to make it (including a link to this post!) and a tiny strainer! I cut the black pepper to 1/4 of what’s called for and that’s spicy enough for me. I’ve tried masala chai at so many coffee shops and I have yet to find one I like half as much as your recipe. A friend who moved away recently just emailed me asking for my recipe because her sister loves chai and she wanted to buy her supplies for Christmas to make it herself at home, so I’m back on this page again… I figured I should leave a comment here and let you know that this recipe has become an absolute staple in my house. Thank you so much for sharing it 🙂
Hi Lindsey!! I’m so happy to hear about how much you love chai and what a big role it has played in your life. Thanks for using this recipe, for referring others to it, and making it your own!
I started making my own chai according to some YouTube videos, but your blog is the most thorough and logical source I’ve read so far. So thanks for sharing your families knowledge!
So now that you are my official chai expert I wonder if you can help me with a question. I’ve made a new batch using the same spices as you but with a bit different ratio, using whole cardamom capsules and added one pod of star anis. The masala is very good, however there is a slightly „soapy“ aftertaste and I think it’s a bit more pronounced than in the previous batch. Things I changed: used a different brand of ginger powder (too lazy to grind my own), different sources of cinnamon (supermarket & spice market) and yellow label instead of assam leaves or Taj Mahal. Do you have an idea where the soapiness could come from?
Best regards from Germany,
Daniel
Hi Daniel! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe. With regard to the soapy flavor, It might be from the cardamom. Sometimes it can be intensely flavored and can add that slightly soapy flavor. Try cutting it down in the next batch and see if that changes it. I don’t think the other changes would make too much of a difference. Let me know how it goes.
Thank you for your help, I will try with the next batch. Do you grind the cardamom seeds only or the whole capsule?
Cheers,
Daniel
I typically grind the whole pod, green and all. It would have a stronger, but cleaner cardamom flavor with only grinding the seeds. That’s another thing you can play around with too!
My husband and I are loving your Chai recipe! I started off with a small batch with half the pepper, but we would like it spicier so will add more when I make it again soon .
I noticed in the above comment that you use the whole cardamom pods (which is what I used when I made the recipe). In your recipe it mentions 50 g of whole cardamom seeds… is that 50 g of pods or 50 g of seeds? Thanks again for this wonderful recipe!
Martha
Hello! The recipe can go either way. If you want a stronger cardamom flavor, go with the seeds. I do use whole pods when I want the spicier flavors to sing through. So it’s up to you! Try both and see which you like better. Glad you are enjoying it!
Hi
Thanks for this amazing recipe….I cant wait to try it. One question, you reccomended 3 loose tea brands : lipton yellow label, Jivraj No.9 and Taj Majlhal Tea. Which one is your favorite for this recipe? Wanted to order your recommendation as soon an you reply in order to start enjoying this Chai Master Piece Recipe
Blessings from Puerto Rico!!
Anexys
Hi Anexys! Honestly, any of them will work well, so order whichever one one is most convenient for you! Hope all is well for you in PR!!
Thank you so much for sharing information. I have this every night after dinner with my husband. I actually look forward to our tea time!!
So happy to hear this!!
I am going to try this, thank you so much for posting it… although I wanted to know (actually, the nerd in ME wants to know…) what the substance is in the center dish in your picture of the masala. I’m assuming it’s sugar. Am I correct in thinking that? Again, thank you!
Oof… nevermind. I just figured out it’s all of the spices ground up together. LOL!
You’re right!! Hope you like the recipe 😊
My wife and I live in Indonesia and we LOVE this chai recipe and so do our friends. We have one problem which is a slime is forming in the cup and I’ve tested and cinnamon is the culprit (if you google “cinnamon slime” there’s a lot on this). The type of cinnamon that grows here is actually cassia. Ceylon cinnamon is available but imported and 3x as expensive. I’ve tried reducing the cinnamon, adding nutmeg and coriander and that helps but the slime is still there. Any suggestions?
Hmmm…are you talking about a film on top of the milk? If so, that’s actually from boiling the milk. It develops a skin. One way to reduce that is to cover the pot once it is done boiling and let it sit for about 10 mins. If that’s not what you’re referring to, I’m afraid I’m not familiar with cinnamon slime. Please keep me posted if you come up with any solutions!
Is there a non-caffeinated tea that can be used that still tastes as good? This recipe is excellent, but I’d love to find a way to make it without caffeine.
Definitely! Just purchase a good quality, decaffeinated English breakfast tea.
Hi, I am so glad you have posted this recipe. I can’t wait to try it as it has been difficult finding a decent chai recipe. I do have one question however which is if I wanted to make the batch of chai masala but actually add the loose tea leaves into it (obviously once the spices have been ground) what sort of measurement would you suggest to use. Much appreciated. Love the blog
Hi Angela, thank you for checking out the recipe! Honestly, I would probably avoid mixing everything together. The spices are much finer than the tea leaves so they will all filter down to the bottom of the storage jar and you won’t get the right balance of flavors as you work your way through the jar. It’s not too bad or too much extra work to have two jars, I promise! If you do try mixing together, let me know how it goes.
Oooh, made up a huge batch. For two people, this is going to take FOREVER to get through. I should have noticed that! I think for a flavor profile, ginger and cardamom are the two main things that make “chai” taste like chai. The ginger makes a nicer “heat” than just black pepper. Next time I will cut way down on the pepper. I think I will add more cinnamon to balance out the pepper punch. I added a smidge of aniseed, a little more clove, and I add fresh lemon to add brightness to the tea. Red label black tea is the best for the strength of chai. Thanks for simplifying my routine to get the best chai! (I usually grind EVERYDAY). So this shaves-off valuable time!
Hi Honey Bee! Glad you made the recipe! Definitely make it your own! only caution I would say is if you add lemon to a dairy product, it will curdle, so you may want to use zest instead.
This recipe looks amazing! I used to drink chai all the time when I was younger, but now I’m a vegan and want to try and make a vegan-friendly version of this. Of course, my cupboard is stocked with the vegan ubiquitous soy milk, but I wonder if there is a more fitting alternative for this recipe. What do you suggest?
To be honest, I haven’t tested the dairy alternatives in any serious fashion. My advice is to boil the water, tea, and spices separately then add warmed non-dairy milk as most commercially prepared non-dairy milks have lots of stabilizers and thickeners that interfere with the steeping process. Try out a few and see which you like best!
I absolutely LOVE the spicy kick of this masala! In fact, it makes some of the most delicious, flavorful, and intense Chai I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. I added a bit of saffron to the mix, and it’s simply divine.
Aww, Tom, thank you so much!! I really appreciate it!! Saffron as an addition sounds INCREDIBLE!!
Hi Tanvi, I couldn’t see where to add a comment so am replying to your last comment.
I made this yesterday and it is amazing – exactly the spicy taste I was hoping to get (used just over half the pepper suggested). Thank u so much for posting the recipe. But just a question – u write whole “cardamom seeds” but the photo shows whole “cardamom pods” ( with the seeds inside). Just checking which one is supposed to be used? I saw both pods and seeds in the store, but ended up getting powdered.
Hi Helen! Either works! I use the pods when I have them and seeds when I have those. The husks are really light, so they don’t contribute too much weight. That being said, if you want a stronger cardamom flavor, use just the seeds.
Thank you for the wonderful blog. It is indeed informative and useful .Good work keep it up. Thanks for sharing the wonderful post.
Regards,
Indian grocery store UK
Have just made the chai for the first time myself – hoping I go the proportions correct. My husband made it previously and his was incredible – but he is notorious for messing with a recipe! I used it in my turmeric/ginger/date w/oatmilk invention. The two mixed together is heavenly. I’m working at getting more turmeric and ginger into my older (62) body to help with aging hands/joints. Thanks for making it even taster!
I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipe!!
The dimensions are totally off! I see 1/2 cup of milk 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of black peppercorns (160 grams), etc? Usually you can read the whole list from a recipe and put it together, here you cannot. How much liquid to the amount of spices you put down? Even dividing the spices by 5 would be wayy to much for 1 cup of liquid…
Hi Brian, please review the details of the recipe. The spice blend is made in bulk and you only use a small amount per cup of chai. Hope that helps.
Just want to say I’m loving this recipe, thanks for sharing! Do you have a recipe for turning this into a chai concentrate? It would shave off so much time in the mornings on weekdays if I didn’t have to boil everything together.
Unfortunately, I don’t! I’ve tried in the past and never really enjoyed the outcome. If you figure one out, please feel free to share!
Just had my first cup of the Chai! It was just amazing. Thank you for posting the recipe. I took you advice and halved the amount. I might just add a little more! THANK YOU!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this information. All the recipes shared are looking very delicious.
Thank you!
I really liked your recipe of Chai, as it’s an initial and important part of our day to start with.
Thanks for sharing amazing recipe with me.
I also use Organic Chai Masala from ORCO, you should try this as well.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Made this with spices I ordered fresh from diaspora and burlap & barrel. Both companies are huge on sustainable farming/fair trade and freshness. Diaspora in particular guarantees wage rates for the peppercorn farmers. Both have specific farms they work direct with.
The point though, is when making garam or masala, I can’t recommend enough that you buy fresh and high quality spices. Nothing compares to ultra fresh purple peppercorn, afgan buffalo ginger, or vietemese royal cinnamon.
I had to dial down spices used in recipe, but seriously give it a try- the flavors just light up with every sip. Compared it to my grocery store old cabinet spices masala and there is absolutely no competition .
Also, I added vanilla and purple turmeric to my masala.
Absolutely wonderful advice! And your additions sound delightful!
I’d love some advice—this is the third time I’ve made this recipe over the past couple of years, but the first time I’ve had a kitchen scale to measure it out. Also, my ground cardamom is significantly fresher this time around (not just the little containers from the grocery store).
I just made my first cup with the new batch, and I’m finding the cardamom a bit too strong for my taste. I read online elsewhere that cloves and cinnamon are good ways to neutralize cardamom a bit, so I’m thinking of adding a small amount more of both. Does this sound reasonable to you, and if so how much would you add? I’d also be willing to add more pepper if you think that would help—I only used half the recommended pepper because my partner prefers it less spicy, but I enjoy it a bit spicier and I’m the one who drinks it most of the time.
Thanks!
Hi Karen! So happy to hear that you keep coming back to this recipe! I think that adding cinnamon or cloves should work well, however I would caution you to not over do it with the cloves. We tend to vary the recipe based on our mood (sometimes more ginger, sometimes more cardamom, etc) but cloves can overpower, so be careful with that. I haven’t tested this, but just roughly estimating, if you used the full 50g of cardamom, perhaps add an additional 15 g of cinnamon and maybe 1-2 g of additional clove and go from there! I don’t know that the pepper will neutralize the cardamom, it’ll just add a bit more kick which will help to distract from cardamom’s sweetness, so you could try adding an additional 10 g of black pepper and working from there. Hope that helps!
How do you strain it? Through a coffee filter?
Just tried your recipe, excellent! I hope soon to be able to visit India again, to hear that “chai, chai, garam chai!”
Thanks for sharing this. I just tried it and the spice blend and ratios are good, but I made this with pre-ground spices and I can really feel that powdery sensation. I usually use slightly-crushed whole spices and a long steep (1h+), with an overall much silkier result. Also, straining was a pain. I will use your general formula again to be sure, but I’m going to stick with whole spices from now on.