The Best Chai Masala (Indian Tea Spice Blend)
This chai masala recipe is a great way to enhance and bring your chai to the next level. It is also a wonderful addition to baked goods and desserts.
Table of Contents
Types of Chai:
- Ginger (adarak) chai: A small thumb of crushed ginger is simmered with the chai, producing a slightly spicy and fragrant cup of chai.
- Cardamom (elaichi) chai: Here, a few cardamom pods are crushed in a mortar and pestle and added to the chai, yielding a sweet and slightly floral flavor.
- Lemongrass chai: Commonly made in Maharashtra, some lightly bruised lemongrass is gently boiled with the chai, making a fragrant and citrusy chai.
- Masala chai: This has a complex mix of spices (masala) added to the chai, creating a sweet and warm cup of chai. Chai masala typically contains an assemblage of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, fennel, dry ginger, or nutmeg.
Spices:
Woody spices:
Chai is ultimately meant to be a rich and soothing drink. Woody spices add a cozy warmth to your chai masala, with a flavor reminiscent of a cool fall evening. In Western cultures, these spices are often associated with winter, often added to baked goods and desserts during the holidays. However, they find a home in chai year-round, even in blisteringly hot summers. While cinnamon is very popular in Westernized chai recipes, most Indians use a liberal amount of cardamom – it gives a unique piney fragrance to your chai. I
Pungent Spices:
Introducing sharper-flavored spices can help balance the sweet flavor of spices like cinnamon and cardamom. Spices like black pepper and ginger help wake up the palate. That being said, be mindful of the overpowering medicinal taste of dried ginger — while some people may like it, I’ve found I prefer fresh ginger’s citrusy and spicy flavor. Experiment to see what you prefer.
Other Spices:
While the spices above are the predominant flavors in chai masala, chai strongly benefits from a small amount of some more unique spices to round out the flavor. These spices are like a bass line — you don’t notice them until they’re missing. Cloves and star anise are extremely common in many blends. However, they are often overpowering, so use them carefully. I have had some truly horrendous chai where somebody thought to use an insane amount of cloves. My mouth was numb for hours.
While they’re less common, I like to add a little bit of nutmeg and fennel. I enjoy the slightly earthy and licorice-y flavor; you may not.
Chai Masala
Equipment
- 1 spice grinder (or mortar and pestle)
Ingredients
Woody Spices (~60%)
- 2 tablespoons cardamom pods
- 2 inches cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
Pungent Spices (~25%)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Other Spices (~15%)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 tablespoon cloves
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- Add all spices to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Grind to a fine powder, for about 5 minutes.2 tablespoons cardamom pods, 2 inches cinnamon stick, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 tablespoon cloves, 1 star anise
- Transfer the masala to an airtight jar. Use within 3 months for maximum freshness.