What do I say about tea! Where do we start! It is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. And by far one of the most popular beverages in the world! In India, tea is absolutely popular, no prizes for guessing! Masala chai or masala tea is infact an emotion. So many conversations start with this magical potion and some people cannot function without this.
Masala chai or masala tea is not just about the tea leaves, it is about the celebration of tea itself. The best tea leaves/powder are boiled and mixed with fragrant spices mixed with hot milk. It simply takes tea to another level. It is a beautiful thing!
Very recently I learnt that the word ‘tea’ comes from Spanish ‘te’. ‘Cha’ comes from Portuguese. Trade with China (again a very big consumer of tea) somehow brought tea to India. One of the most popular varieties of tea in the world is from the North East Region Assam and Darjeeling. In the South, we have Ooty and Coonoor growing some of the finest teas in the world. Sri Lanka also deserves a special mention, again one of the best in the world!
Tea leaves are flavoured with variety of spices like elaichi/green cardamom, cinnamon, laung/cloves, eucalyptus, ginger etc. Masala chai or masala tea is a concoction of some of the most flavoured spices made into a healing beverage. This is the most popular way of making tea in India.
So here goes, masala chai or masala tea recipe from India! Along with tea, here are a load of tea time snacks. Hara-bhara kabab, sweet potato cutlet, roasted mung dal, baked samosa, matar kachori, dil pasand, aloo bun, nippattu, kodubale, masala shenga and more! Indian tea time has no match, it is the best, so much variety and comfort!
- 1½ Tbsp tea leaves/powder
- 3 Tsp sugar
- 1¼ Cups water
- 1½ Cups full cream milk/whole milk
- ½ Tsp grated ginger or ¼ Tsp dry ginger powder
- 2-3 elaichi/green cardamom
- 5-6 whole black peppercorn
- ¼ Tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 Tsp fresh cream or malai (optional)
- Pour milk in a vessel or saucepan
- Bring it to heat on low flame
- Pour water in another pan and bring it to a slow boil
- Next gather all ingredients required for the masala chai, tea leaves, cinnamon powder, black peppercorn, cardamom, ginger (clockwise)
- Using a mortar-pestle, roughly pound the elaichi/green cardamom and black pepper
- Grate ginger and keep aside
- When the milk starts to scald, this is the window to add some fragrant masalas
- Give the milk a quick stir, this will mix the skin/malai back into the milk
- Add pounded elaichi and pepper powder
- Next sprinkle cinnamon powder and scrape in the grated ginger
- Keep stirring the milk on low flame
- Meanwhile the water has come to a boil, add the tea leaves
- Mix well, allow to steep
- When the tea comes to a low boil and starts coming to the top, keep an eye on it
- After about a minute or so the tea leaves are infused with boiling water
- Now pour the tea decoction into the boiling milk and mix well
- Let it keep heating for another 2 minutes, keep stirring
- Add sugar as per your taste and mix well
- Lastly for extra smoothness and richness, add some fresh cream or malai
- Let the tea sit for 1 more minute and let it settle into the flavour
- Sieve the mixture into cups or kulhads or glasses or lota
- Serve hot!
Resting the tea is very important for the flavours to infuse and settle in
Add sugar as per your taste, but don't make it very sweet or don't add very less
This masala chai recipe can be increased in proportions, doubled, tripled easily
Masala Chai Stepwise:
Pour milk in a vessel or saucepan
Bring it to heat on low flame
Pour water in another pan and bring it to a slow boil
Next gather all ingredients required for the masala chai, tea leaves, cinnamon powder, black peppercorn, cardamom, ginger (clockwise)
Using a mortar-pestle, roughly pound the elaichi/green cardamom and black pepper
Grate ginger and keep aside
When the milk starts to scald, this is the window to add some fragrant masalas
Give the milk a quick stir, this will mix the skin/malai back into the milk
Add pounded elaichi and pepper powder
Next sprinkle cinnamon powder and scrape in the grated ginger
Keep stirring the milk on low flame
Meanwhile the water has come to a boil, add the tea leaves
Mix well, allow to steep
When the tea comes to a low boil and starts coming to the top, keep an eye on it
After about a minute or so the tea leaves are infused with boiling water
Now pour the tea decoction into the boiling milk and mix well
Let it keep heating for another 2 minutes, keep stirring
Add sugar as per your taste and mix well
Lastly for extra smoothness and richness, add some fresh cream or malai
Let the tea sit for 1 more minute and let it settle into the flavour
Sieve the mixture into cups or kulhads or glasses or lota
Serve hot!
