Masala Tea (Chai)

For me Chai is the one beverage that has the most memories associated with it in so many contexts – my family home, mornings, college, the monsoons, my daily routine, eating street foods and more. I love a nice hot cup of sweet Chai with a spicy/savory snack such as samosas or an aloo parathas.

I wasn’t allowed to drink tea or coffee until I was in my early teens. And boy did I get carried away when I first started drinking “chai.” My first memories of chai after the sheer enjoyment of being able to enjoy what I considered an adult privilege ended was the discovery of caffeine. I first started drinking “chai” around Diwali time. My parents, myself and some of my siblings would go over to our friends and relatives’ homes to wish them and share “Mithais” that is Indian sweets.  In many parts of India it is customary to offer tea or coffee to visitors to your home. In my excitement of being allowed to drink team I probably had over 6-8 cups of teas in a span of a few hours since I didn’t once refuse the offer to have a cup of tea. And with that came the new knowledge that tea has caffeine and caffeine can keep you up all night 🙂 I’ve learned to enjoy tea and caffeinated beverages responsibly since. Now let’s get down to how you could make “chai” yourself.

You can make delicious “Masala Chai” adjusted to your preferences with just a couple tries. Adjust the quantity and type of spice you add, the amount of sugar and the type and quantity of milk as you like and then stick to your way. I make tea using Society black tea, “Chai Masala,” a crushed cardamom pod, cinammon powder, Stevia and fat-free half-and-half.

Ingredients

Black tea (preferably loose tea leaves for best results)
Sugar or your preferred sweetener of your choice (to taste)
1/8 tsp Chai Masala
Ginger piece grated (preferable) or thin slices (to taste)
Milk or Half-and-half

NOTES: 

• You can purchase Chai Masala at any ethnic grocery store or can even make it at home. A substitute is a small piece of cinnamon stick and green cardamom, either as a whole spice or in powder form. If you’re using whole Green Cardamom pods be sure to crack them open when adding since most of the flavor is in the seeds.
• You don’t need to exactly measure out the Chai Masala when adding. Just add a little bit and adjust depending on the quantity of the tea you are making. Even a little bit adds a lot of flavor. Adding too much can make the tea spicy enough to give you hiccups. 🙂
• Adjust the quantity of Ginger to your taste. I love the taste of ginger and add it liberally when making Masala Tea. However, keep in mind that it does add heat to the beverage as well.

Preparation

Add all of the ingredients except for the  milk to a pot and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for a minute so that the water gets infused with all the flavors and then add the milk. My guideline for the quantity of milk is to add it gradually a teaspoon at a time (or tablespoon depending on the number of cups of tea you are making) until the color is just right (see the photos for an idea). Some like their tea darker and stronger and add less milk and others like it lighter and so add more milk. You’ll get an idea of the proportions in a couple tries.

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