Chai Masala

A spoonful of aromatic chai masala powder can transform a cuppa tea into a cup of bliss!

Indian tea, or chai, is often flavored with a blend of powdered spices, called chai masala. The masala not only adds exquisite flavor to tea but it also helps fight common ailments. Here's my recipe for a fragrant chai masala made with six simple spices. Use it to make the most amazing and authentic masala chai.

One of my favorite childhood memories is of my father waking me up with a cup of tea. Yes, you read that right. In many parts of India (except in the south where coffee is the drink du jour) tea is usually what you start your day with and everyone, from kids to adults, drink it before they can stumble out of bed.

The tea my dad made was a simple one: he brought water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan, dunked several spoons of loose-leaf black tea (usually Brooke Bond, which was the ubiquitous choice of Indian tea drinkers at the time) to make a strong -- almost black -- concoction. He'd pour in lots of milk and scoop in several teaspoons of sugar before turning off the stove. He'd always let the tea stand a few minutes before straining it into cups. It was the most delicious cup of tea and the perfect start to every morning.

Here, in our home so far from India, Desi and I continue the tradition of a first-thing-in-the-morning cup of tea (even Desi abdicated his morning-coffee-drinking past once he became familiar with the waking-up prowess of a cup of strong tea or kadak chai, as it is called in India). But unlike my dad, who liked his tea plain, we usually stir into it a hefty dose of fresh ginger or a spoonful of this wonderful chai masala to make a masala tea. The ginger or chai masala don't just add a wonderful flavor to the tea; they also are great at keeping the sniffles away.

To make this, my best chai masala powder, which I blend up every month or so, I mix six whole spices and powder them in a spice grinder or blender. The entire process takes all of five minutes and there's no roasting of spices required.

Blend up a batch today and use it to flavor any tea you love or to make a scrumptious Indian masala chai. Then come back and let me know if it didn't add just that extra bit of oomph to your day!

Oh, and before you move on (and you know this already if you've read my "about" post because it's a pet peeve): please don't call this a "masala chai tea." A chai means tea in Hindi, so calling it a chai tea is redundant and sounds just...silly.) 😉

Why you'll love this chai masala recipe

• It's good for you. The spices used to make chai masala -- cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, star anise and ginger -- are great for your health. Spices have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and sugar- and cholesterol-lowering properties and they can improve respiratory health. Even if you don't eat Indian foods on a regular basis, drinking masala chai a great way to ensure you get those amazing benefits. Hot tea is also a great beverage for any weather, cold or hot: a fact I delved into more deeply in my cutting chai recipe post.
• It's so aromatic and delicious. A cup of masala chai is the perfect pick-me-up, in the morning or at any time of day. A pinch of chai masala added to tea makes that cup so much more of an experience to look forward to and bask in.
• It's easy to make. You can put together a chai masala in five minutes with help from a blender or spice grinder or, if you are willing to invest more muscle and time, a mortar and pestle.
• It's everyone friendly. Even if you don't want to give your kids tea you can always add some chai masala to their milk so they, too, can reap the benefits of those wonderful spices. And the masala is soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free, of course.

Chai masala ingredients

• Seven 2-inch sticks cinnamon
• 1 heaping tablespoon green cardamom pods. You can use the whole pod, skin and all.
• 1 tablespoon cloves
• 2 star anise. You can use a teaspoon of fennel seeds or saunf instead.
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 3 tablespoon ground ginger (dry ginger powder)

How to make chai masala

• Measure out all the ingredients for the tea masala in a bowl or blender cup.
• Blend until all ingredients are broken down into a powder. The powder doesn't have to be very fine, as you will strain the tea after adding the chai masala to it.
• Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry.

More uses for chai masala

• Use the chai masala in other drinks, particularly Indian flavored drinks. I use it in my haldi ka doodh or golden milk, and it's fantastic.
• You can add chai masala instead of the whole spices in this detoxing turmeric ginger tea recipe.
• Add it to vegan thandai instead of the whole spices.

Watch how to make chai masala powder

Storage instructions

Powdered spices like chai masala, garam masala, biryani masala, sambar masala and curry powder can safely be stored for up to a year so long as you keep them in a cool, dark place in airtight containers. Powdered spices lose their flavor as they stand, however, so I'd recommend using up the chai masala within six months for the best flavor. You can also use the slider in the recipe card to make a smaller batch.

Frequently Asked Questions

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