Masala Chai | Indian Spiced Tea

Understand Chai's History

Before we dive into making chai, it is important to address the elephant in the room. It is how we refer to this beloved drink. Chai is a Hindi word which means tea. When coffee shops in the United States refer to "Chai Tea" or "Chai Tea Latte" they are saying "tea tea", which is just redundant. So just say chai!

Now with that cleared up, we can talk about how chai is a popular drink that is now a part of mainstream Indian and South Asian culture, but that popularity has not always been the case.

Chai consumption became a part of Indian culture around the 1920s. The British, who colonized India, grew tea in regions in Assam and Darjeeling and eventually marketed tea to the Indian people for profits. You can learn more about chai's origin in this blog where I dive into chai's fraught history that is rooted in colonialism and capitalism.

Best tea to use for chai

The best tea to use for chai is CTC black tea. CTC, which stands for "crush, tear, curl", is a machine-processed tea. This tea is defined by its small granule texture and strong taste. Orthodox tea is CTC tea's counterpart. Orthodox tea is an expensive handpicked tea that is marked by long, defined strands and subtle taste.

CTC is a cheaper and lower quality tea than orthodox tea, so why is better to use than orthodox tea? The fine granules of CTC tea produce a strong cup that can stand up to the spices in chai. I recommend brands like Red Label or Tea India which are easy to buy online or in Indian stores.

CTC tea also comes in both tea bags as well as loose leaf tea. I prefer loose leaf tea as it makes for a stronger cup of chai. You need 2-3 tea bags to equal the strength of a tablespoon of loose leaf tea. The pro of using a tea bag is that there is less mess in the pot when making tea. However, I use reusable tea strainers with loose leaf tea which results in less waste and a strong cup of chai.

Whole Spices vs. Ground Spices

When making masala chai you can choose between using whole spices or ground spice mixes or masalas. With whole spices, you drop them into the boiling water to hydrate. With ground spices, you toast them to bring out their essential oils, grind them, and add them into the water.

There are pros and cons for each method. Whole spices stay fresher longer whereas ground spices start loosing their potency as soon as you grind them. Whole spices give a delicate and subtle taste. If you want a stronger flavor with whole spices, you need a large quantity of spices. With ground spices, a little bit goes a long way to create a bold flavor.

I prefer using ground chai masala for masala chai because it provides the strong flavor. I also freshly grind my homemade chai masala every 2-3 weeks so the potency lost is negligible compared to the bold taste of the masala.

Karak Chai is a type of chai that is often referred to as subtle masala chai. I would lightly crush whole spices for Karak Chai instead of using chai masala. I also opt for crushed spices when making delicate chais like rose chai or cardamom chai.

Spices that are in masala chai

There are myriad spices in masala chai that make it a complex and delicious cup of tea. Everyone has their own favorite chai masala or spice blend. After many trials and errors, I also have crafted my homemade chai masala recipe with the right balance of spices like cardamom, fennel, cinnamon, and black peppercorn, which I think is pretty awesome!

Having a great chai masala sets a great masala chai apart from a good one. I prefer making a homemade spice blend as some spice blends have sat on shelves for a long time which results in a mixture that has lost its potency. There are some brands of chai masala like Diaspora Co and Spice Walla that make great quality spice blends with high quality spices if you are looking to purchase your chai spice mix.

What to serve chai with

Chai is a sweet and spicy drink that pairs well with so many snacks. I personally love to have masala chai with savory snacks like cornflake mixture or murukku. Alternatively, sweet flavors like chocolate or ginger pair well with the chai as well!

If you are feeling really fancy, I love throwing an Indian Chai Party or an Indian-inspired tea party with Indian-inspired dishes which you can find the details for here.

Tips for making a delicious chai

1. Allow tea leaves and spices to steep and boil in water for 2-3 minutes before adding milk. This is a crucial step to getting a strong cup of chai and hydrating the spices. When you add milk to the the chai, it drastically slows down the steeping process. So don't skip the initial steep of tea or else you will get a weak chai that tastes mostly like milk.
2. Use loose leaf CTC black tea for chai. Crush, Tear, Curl or CTC tea yields a strong cup of chai that can withstand the spices in chai. Choose this type of tea over orthodox tea. Brands like Red Label and Tea India are great options when making chai.
3. Choose ground masalas for a spicier chai and whole spices for a delicate chai. A little bit of ground masala makes for a spicy chai with a bold flavor. Opt for whole spices when making more delicate chais like ginger chai, cardamom chai, or rose chai.
4. Turn the heat down when adding milk to the tea. If you have cold milk this step is just insurance that you won't shock and curdle the milk. The next reason for this step is that you want the milk to gradually come to a boil. As the milk slowly boils, the water evaporates, creating a creamy cup of chai.
5. Allow the milk to boil, froth, and rise. Allowing the milk to froth and rise gives it a creamy mouthfeel that is reminiscent of a thick latte! I always make chai in a large pot to allow space for the chai to rise as well.
6. Sweeten the milk to your liking. Add sugar to your liking. If you are sensitive to sugar, omit sugar while making tea and add it in the end. If you are making iced chai, add sugar while the chai is still warm so it melts before its cold. Other unprocessed sugar alternatives that taste great in chai are jaggery and honey!

Frequently Asked Questions

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