Degchi
Masala Chai
Serves 2 · Total 15 min · Prep 5 min · Cook 10 min
Black tea boiled strong with milk and a warming blend of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. India's daily ritual drink, brewed on a stove in millions of homes every single morning.
Quick answer: 15 min in total · serves 2 · main ingredients: Tea leaves, Milk, Ginger, Cardamom · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 2 tsp 2 tsp Tea leaves
- 300 ml 1.3 cup Milk
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Ginger, crushed
- 3 pc 3 pc Cardamom, crushed
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Sugar, to taste
- 1 pc 1 pc Cinnamon, small stick (Optional)
- 2 pc 2 pc Cloves (Optional)
Steps
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- Lightly crush the ginger and cardamom pods in a mortar so they release their aroma.
- Bring 300 ml (1¼ cups) water to a boil with the crushed ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves, then simmer for 4 minutes until the water smells strongly of spice.⏱ Boiling spices · 4 min
- Add the tea leaves and simmer for 2 minutes until the water turns a deep reddish brown.⏱ Brewing tea · 2 min
- Pour in the milk, add the sugar and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring. Watch the pan: when the foam rises to the rim, lower the heat so it does not boil over.
- Simmer for 3 minutes on low heat so the tea turns rich and creamy; simmer longer for a stronger chai.⏱ Boiling with milk · 3 min
- Strain through a fine sieve into cups and serve piping hot.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Masala Chai take to make?
Masala Chai takes about 15 minutes in total. That is about 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking.
How many people does this Masala Chai recipe serve?
This version serves 2. The Degchi app has a servings scaler if you need more or fewer portions.
What ingredients do I need for Masala Chai?
You need Tea leaves, Milk, Ginger, Cardamom, Sugar. Optional: Cinnamon, Cloves.
Is Masala Chai difficult?
Degchi rates it Easy, with 6 steps in the method; steps that need timing have a built-in timer in cook mode.
Is Masala Chai halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Masala Chai?
Spice-box items: cardamom. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: milk, ginger. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: tea leaves, sugar.
Any tips for making Masala Chai?
Boiling the whole spices in water first, before adding tea, draws out much more of their flavour than adding everything together. Common mistake: boiling the tea for too long after the milk goes in turns it bitter. Use strong CTC or Assam leaves and adjust the ratio: more tea and less milk for a stronger cup.
Notes and questions
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Masala · Elaichi (cardamom) · Dalchini (cinnamon) · Laung (cloves)
