How to Make Masala Chai at Home
Real masala chai isn’t steeped like a tea bag. It’s simmered: strong Assam tea and whole spices bubble together on the stove until the pot turns a deep amber, then milk goes in and the whole thing comes back to a boil. That’s how chai is made in Indian homes and at street stalls, and it’s how Rajiv Roy learned it growing up in Kolkata.
Here’s the method we use, whether you’re brewing with our masala chai blend or your own spices.
What you need (for 2 cups)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk. Whole milk is classic; oat milk works well too (see the tips below).
- 2 heaped teaspoons masala chai blend, or 2 teaspoons loose Assam black tea plus your own spices:
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- a thumb of fresh ginger, grated or crushed
- 2 black peppercorns
- 2 cloves
- a small piece of cinnamon
- Sweetener to taste. We use jaggery, the unrefined cane sugar traditional in Indian chai.
These are good starting amounts. Once you’ve made it a few times, adjust the tea for strength and the ginger for heat.
How to make masala chai, step by step
- Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.
- Add the tea and spices (or the blend) and fresh ginger if you’re using it. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid is a deep amber and smells strongly of spice.
- Pour in the milk and turn the heat back up. Let it rise to a gentle boil, then lower the heat as it climbs the pan. Do this once or twice; it’s what gives chai its body.
- Sweeten. Stir in jaggery or sugar while it’s hot so it dissolves completely.
- Strain into cups through a fine tea strainer and serve right away.
Total time: about 10 minutes.
Tips for a better cup
- Crush the spices just before brewing. Cardamom and pepper lose their aroma fast once ground. That’s why Rajiv hand-grinds spices for every day’s service.
- Use a strong black tea. Assam has the malty body to stand up to milk and spice. Delicate teas get lost.
- Fresh ginger beats dried. If your blend already has ginger, a little fresh ginger on top makes the cup brighter.
- Dairy-free? Add oat milk after the tea has simmered and keep it at a gentle heat. A hard boil can make some oat milks separate.
- Don’t reboil. Chai is best fresh. If you’re serving a crowd, keep it in a thermos rather than on the burner. Our Diwali hosting guide has more on brewing for a group.
Iced masala chai
Brew the chai as above but with a little extra tea for strength, let it cool, and refrigerate. Pour over ice. Or skip the stove: our bottled iced masala chai is ready to drink, made with organic Assam tea, spices and oat milk, and it’s vegan with no preservatives. For a dirty chai, add a shot of espresso.
Our blends
Every pack of The Real Chai blend combines organic Assam black tea with hand-ground spices, and one pack brews about 20 cups.
- Original Masala: ginger and cardamom, the classic.
- Golden: our masala with turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon.
- Rose: our masala with rose petals.
Pick up a pack at our Boston Public Market stall on weekends or order online for delivery or pickup in Boston.