Delicious and authentic homemade masala chai recipe, made with homemade masala mix (spice mix)! A simple and versatile spiced tea recipe, perfect for breakfast!EASY - Very easy. The spice mix is very versatile as well. Good quality tea is recommended for best results. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results.
Spice mix (masala mix for the chai) - Makes about 1 ¼ cups
40ggreen cardamom podswhole pods, ¼ + ⅛ cup
20gcinnamon quillsCeylon cinnamon is best, but cassia is fine in a pinch too, about 3 quills
20gwhole black peppercorns2 tbsp
20gwhole cloves6 - 8 tsp
10gwhole fennel seeds4 tsp
½nutmeg
20gground ginger2 tbsp
Masala chai - For 2 people
480mLwater2 cups
15ggood quality loose leaf black teaAssam tea or black tea
2tspspice mix
240mLwhole milk2% milk is fine too, 1 cup
Honey or sugar to sweeten to taste
Instructions
Spice mix
Place all the spices (except for the ground ginger) in a dry non-stick pan.
Heat over medium heat, and keep moving the spices in the pan until they are fragrant. The time will depend on the heat of your stove, and how fast it heats up.
Remove the spices from the pan and place them in a bowl or plate.
In batches, process the whole spices in a spice blender until completely ground.
Place the ground spices in a large jar or bowl and add the ground ginger. Whisk until the ginger is mixed through.
Keep the spice mix in an airtight container, preferably a glass jar.
Masala chai
Place the water, tea, and spice mix in a saucepan.
Close the lid and bring the water to a boil. When the water is at a boil, remove the lid and adjust the heat of your stove to allow the tea to simmer for about 4 - 5 minutes.
Stir in the milk, and increase the heat to allow the tea to come to a simmer again. Let it simmer for about 1 minute.
Strain the tea out of your spiced tea, and add sugar or honey to sweeten to your liking.
Optional - froth the masala chai using a frothing wand.
Serve immediately.
Notes
For a vegan version - simply replace the milk with a plant based milk of your choice. However, if you'd like to froth your chai, then make sure to use a barista quality plant based milk.