Table & Traditions Recipes, rituals & real meals
About Favorites 0

Pan-Indian (the everyday tea of the subcontinent) · Indian

Masala Chai (Spiced Indian Tea)

India's daily ritual in a cup: black tea brewed with milk, sugar and freshly crushed spices. The proper stovetop method, plus how to build your own masala.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published July 31, 2026

A glass of frothy masala chai on a saucer with whole cardamom pods, fresh ginger and a cinnamon stick beside it, steam rising.

Chai simply means 'tea', and masala chai — tea brewed with spices — is the drink that punctuates Indian daily life, from the roadside chai wallah's kettle to the home kitchen's morning pot. Though tea drinking was promoted in India under British cultivation, the spicing, the milk and the sweetness made it wholly Indian. Every family and stall has its own masala balance.

Yield
Serves 2
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
About 15 min
Difficulty
Easy

Masala chai is India’s daily ritual in a cup — strong black tea boiled with milk, sugar and freshly crushed spices. It punctuates the whole day, from the roadside chai wallah’s bubbling kettle to the family’s morning pot, and every household and stall guards its own masala balance. Chai just means tea; the spice, milk and sweetness made it unmistakably Indian.

Boil, don’t steep

The defining technique is a hard boil. Crush the spices and ginger into the water and let them bubble first — that’s how you pull their flavour fully into the brew. Then add strong Assam CTC tea and sugar and boil again; this tea is built to stand up to milk and spice, and a gentle steep just gives weak chai.

Milk last, then a long simmer

Only after the spice and tea have boiled does the milk go in, brought to a rolling boil and then simmered a few minutes. That final simmer melds everything and gives the depth you taste at a good chai stall.

The froth

Strain into cups and, for the proper finish, pull the chai between two vessels from a height a few times to aerate it. Serve piping hot with a samosa or a biscuit. Keep a jar of dry chai masala on hand and you can make a fresh, spiced cup any morning — more on the spices in the Indian spice pantry.

Ingredients

Serves
2
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 cup whole milk Full-fat gives the proper richness; adjust the milk-to-water ratio to taste.
  • 2 tsp loose black tea (Assam or a strong CTC) Strong, malty Assam CTC is the classic chai tea; it stands up to milk and spice.
  • 2 tsp sugar, or to taste
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, crushed
  • 3 green cardamom pods, crushed Cardamom and ginger are the backbone; the rest of the masala is to taste.
  • optional: 1 clove, small piece cinnamon, 1 black peppercorn, pinch fennel

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Bring the water to a boil with the crushed ginger and cardamom (and any other whole spices), and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes.

    Why: Boiling the spices in water first — before the tea or milk — extracts their flavour fully into the brew, which a quick steep wouldn't.

  2. Add the tea leaves and sugar and boil another 2 minutes until deeply coloured.

    Why: Black CTC tea needs a hard boil, not a gentle steep, to release its strength and stand up to the milk and spice.

  3. Pour in the milk and bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and let it rise and simmer 3–4 minutes, watching it doesn't boil over.

    Why: Simmering the milk with the brewed tea melds everything and thickens the chai slightly; the longer simmer is what gives roadside chai its depth.

  4. Strain into cups through a fine sieve and serve hot. For a frothy, aerated finish, pour it between two vessels from a height a few times.

    Why: Straining removes the leaves and spices; pulling the chai between vessels aerates it and gives the characteristic froth of a good chai stall.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Adrak chai (ginger)

    Double the ginger and skip the other spices for a sharp, warming ginger tea — popular in monsoon and winter.

  • Vegan / dairy-free

    Use full-fat oat or soy milk; add it a little earlier so it heats through gently without splitting.

  • Kadak (extra strong)

    Use more tea and a longer boil for the dark, intense 'kadak' chai of railway platforms.

Serving & Storage

Serve piping hot in small glasses or cups, ideally with a snack — biscuits, rusk, samosa or pakora. Chai is as much a social ritual as a drink.

Pairs with: Samosa, Marie biscuits / rusk, Pakora, Jalebi.

Storage: Best made fresh. You can make a big batch and reheat, but it loses brightness; a dry chai masala (ground spice blend) stored in a jar lets you make a fresh cup any time.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 cup)

Calories
110
Protein
4 g
Carbs
16 g
Fat
4 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
14 g
Sodium
50 mg

Notable micronutrients: Calcium

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I boil the tea or steep it?

For masala chai you boil it. Unlike delicate teas, strong black CTC needs a hard boil with the spices and then the milk to develop its full colour, body and flavour. A gentle steep gives weak, watery chai.

What spices go in masala chai?

The backbone is cardamom and ginger. From there it's personal: clove, cinnamon, black pepper, fennel, even a little nutmeg or star anise. Every household has its own balance — start with cardamom and ginger and build from there.

When do I add the milk?

After boiling the spices and tea in water first. Adding milk too early mutes the spice extraction and dilutes the brew. Boil the flavour into the water, then add milk and simmer to finish.

From our kitchen community

Ratings & Reviews

My Rating

Tap a star to rate — no sign-in, no form needed.

Be the first to rate Masala Chai (Spiced Indian Tea).

Further reading