Masala Chai
Quick answer
Masala chai is an Indian spiced milk tea made by simmering crushed ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom in water until the spices release their oils fully, then adding black te...
What makes this special
- Simmering crushed ginger and cardamom first extracts the essential oils for Masala chai.
- Spices boil in water 5 minutes before the tea leaves go in
- Whole spices give cleaner aroma than ground, no gritty finish
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 12g of fresh ginger and crush it lightly using the back of a knife or a...
- 2 Combine 400ml of water with the crushed ginger, 0.5 teaspoons of cinnamon, a...
- 3 Add 10g of black tea leaves to the spice infusion and steep for 3 minutes un...
Masala chai is an Indian spiced milk tea made by simmering crushed ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom in water until the spices release their oils fully, then adding black tea leaves and whole milk and continuing to heat gently over low flame. The spices build aromatic depth that wraps around the tea's tannins, transforming them into warm, rounded complexity rather than raw astringency. Stirring in sugar during the final minutes of simmering softens the spice's sharpness and allows the milk's creaminess to come forward. Using whole spices rather than ground powders keeps the brew free of gritty residue and produces a cleaner, more transparent aroma in each cup.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Wash 12g of fresh ginger and crush it lightly using the back of a knife or a mortar to release the potent aromatic oils and spicy essence before starting the boiling.
- 2Control
Combine 400ml of water with the crushed ginger, 0.5 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 0.25 teaspoons of cardamom in a pot, bringing to a boil and simmering on medium for 5 minutes.
- 3Step
Add 10g of black tea leaves to the spice infusion and steep for 3 minutes until the water turns dark brown, extracting the full body of the tea without excess bitterness.
- 4Control
Pour in 300ml of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar, then simmer on low heat for 4 minutes while stirring constantly to prevent the milk from boiling over or forming skin.
- 5Season
Once the chai reaches a deep milk tea color and the spices are concentrated, stir lightly to ensure the sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and let it rest.
- 6Finish
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the tea leaves and spices, then pour into warmed mugs and serve while the exotic and comforting aroma is at peak.
After the steps
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Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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