Masala Chai Recipe (With Fresh Spices)
Description: Masala Chai, or Indian Masala Tea, is a fragrant black tea brewed with spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes herbs like tulsi or lemongrass. It is sweetened with sugar and finished with a touch of milk. A beloved drink across India, perfect for breakfast time or with evening snacks.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 4 teaspoons raw sugar (or add as per taste)
- 2 teaspoons black tea (- granules or tea leaves, preferably Assam CTC tea)
- ¼ cup milk (or add as per taste)
- 1 inch cinnamon (- true cinnamon and not cassia cinnamon )
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 inch ginger
Instructions
- Take cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and peeled ginger in a mortar-pestle.
- Crush coarsely and set aside.
- In a sauce pan or a small pan with a handle, heat water.
- Let the water come to a boil and then add the crushed spices.
- Boil the spices along with the water for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add sugar as per taste. I usually add 4 teaspoons of raw sugar. You can add more or less.
- Now add 2 teaspoons of assam tea powder. Boil for a minute. This boiling time depends on how strong you want your tea. If you prefer a strong intense tea, then boil for a few more minutes.
- Add milk. After adding milk boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- If using chilled milk, then boil with tea for 2 to 3 minutes. If using hot milk, then add the milk and switch off the heat.
- Pour the tea through a tea strainer directly in the cup.
- Serve Masala Chai hot with some Indian snacks or cookies or biscuits.