This masala chai recipe is one of the most popular things I made on my social media, my cookbook and, quite frankly, in my life. It uses just a few ingredients and ther’s ample room to play around and make it your own.
Read more: How to Make Authentic Masala Chai in 15 Minutes
My Masala chai
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk
- ½ cup water
- 3 strong black tea bags or 2 Tbsp loose-leaf black tea
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cardamom pods
- ¼ tsp nutmeg, grated
- 1 cm slice of fresh ginger, or ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 cloves
- A few strands of saffron
- Condensed milk, to taste
Directions
- Add the milk, water and tea bags to a small pot over low heat, ensuring that the teabags are submerged in the liquid.
- Gently crush the spices using a mortar and pestle, releasing their oils and warmth. Once they are smashed together and the air fills with the sweet smell of cardamom, scrape the spices into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring every few minutes.
- Once the tea has reached simmering point, turn off the heat and immediately pour the tea into two cups, using a strainer to catch the spices. Serve with biscuits or samosas.