Masala Chai – A Comforting Spiced Tea!

Rainy and cold weathers call for Masala Chai! There’s nothing better than a cup of spiced tea to warm yourself up, while admiring the rain and listening to the sounds of the wind. Every time I have Masala Chai, I instantly feel like I am sinking into a fluffy cloud; it is really a comforting drink.

Despite the majority of Mauritians being from Indian descendants, it is surprisingly quite rare to find Masala Chai on the menus of coffee shops around island. I believe it must be more of an at home recipe, where each household would have its own recipe. Brewed over low fire by mothers and grand-mothers in an old tea pot!

Well, after having travelled and having had fresh Masala Chai at a cafe, made with fresh spices and ginger. It was love at first “sip” for me! And by fresh, I mean, the none masala chai powder that you find in supermarkets, which I have been having until I made my own spiced tea!

Fun Fact! Did you guys know that “Chai” means tea in Hindi. And that “Naan” means bread. Thus saying “Chai tea” is like saying “tea tea” and saying “Naan bread” is like saying “bread bread” , which is technically wrong. Masala Chai translates to Masala Tea or spiced tea! Now would you ever say Chai Tea every again?

As mentioned, every Indian household have their own secret blend of spices for their chai. I nonetheless like to use a mixture of cardamon, cloves, star anise, cinnamon and fresh ginger! I also like mine sweetened with honey and made with soy milk! So, let’s dive right into the recipe!

Tips & Tricks

• You want to use a dark, rich and robust black tea. Assam, Darjeeling , etc. I prefer using loose tea leaves as I feel they are more flavorful, but feel free to use tea bags. Start off with 1 tablespoon of tea leaves and add in more, if it’s not strong enough for your tastebuds.
• Black peppercorn – I added in black peppercorns once when making this recipe and it added an extra peppery, tingly effect in the back of my throat which I didn’t really enjoy. However, if you like that extra spicy effect, please do add them in!
• Ginger – Grated vs Sliced. If you want a stronger ginger flavor, grate it instead of slicing it.
• Milk options – As a rule of thumb, the fattier your milk (higher fat content), the creamier your tea. So depending on the milk you are using, add in around 1 to 1½ cups of milk. If you are more of a milk-base tea person, add in more milk, vice-versa. I usually use soy milk and add in 1 cup.
• Sweetening options – You can use sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, condensed milk… the choice is yours.

Pair this Masala Chai with Something Sweet!