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Masala Chai
Masala Chai (commonly known in America as Chai Tea) is a traditional Indian tea made with spices, ginger, and milk. Though Masala Chai isn’t as popular in Pakistani culture as it is in Indian culture, growing up as a South Asian in America, I’ve had countless cups. Masala chai elevates a regular cup of chai with spices, making it even more relaxing, calming, and soothing to the senses. This article from Diaspora Co. shares the history and evolution of Masala Chai.
Chai vs Masala Chai
The word chai simply means tea. You have the everyday, minimally spicy cup of chai, the characteristically pink Kashmiri chai, and many other popular versions of chai. Masala Chai is distinguished by the use of spices, or masala, in chai.
Masala Chai Vs Chai Tea
Yes, Chai Tea is a redundant term. (My friend Kathryn’s PSA on phrases like “Chai Tea” and “Chai-Spiced” explains it best.) But I do think that Chai Tea, initially a rendition on Masala Chai, has evolved into its own drink. When I think of Chai Tea or Chai Tea Lattes, I think of the coffee shop drink made with concentrated Chai flavor. It’s so different from traditional Indian Masala Chai, that it can safely be categorized as a completely different drink. Masala Chai is made by simmering the tea with spices and cooking down the milk. This lends it a richer, creamier, more complex taste. On the other hand, Chai Tea is made with steamed milk and has a more watered down yet sharp flavor (which comes from concentrate or powder). Masala Chai is typically not manually frothed while a Chai Tea Latte is distinctly frothy.
Ingredients
Tea bags, a few spices, milk, and sweetener are all you need to make this soul-soothing cup of chai. As always, if you’re missing a spice or two, don’t let that deter you from making it!
What type of Black Tea to use for Chai
I suggest using strong Pakistani/Indian black tea bags which are often made with Assam or Darjeeling tea leaves using the CTC method. Tapal, Wagh Bakri, Ahmad Tea, and Tetley are some of the brands commonly found in South Asian grocery stores. If using weaker tea or whole leaf Darjeeling or Assam, add more as needed (usually ~2 tbsp). I developed this recipe with tea bags. If you prefer to use tea leaves, you certainly can. But depending on the brand, it may increase the strength of the tea and therefore make the spices more muted. Adjust by reducing tea and/or grinding the spices.
Other Ingredients
Whole spices: This recipe uses 4 whole spices that are commonly used to make Masala Chai: Cinnamon sticks (both Cassia & Ceylon work here) Cloves Green cardamom pods Black peppercorns Fennel seeds – Optional, but I love how they make masala chai more vibrant. Some restaurants also use mint leaves which gives a similar, fresh flavor.
Fresh ginger root: If I’m feeling under the weather, I’ll add another slice or 2 of ginger. Otherwise, I prefer the ginger to be subtle. For stronger ginger flavor, use a mortar & pestle to crush it instead of slicing. Milk: Feel free to use whole milk, reduced-fat milk, lactose-free milk, etc. For a dairy-free substitute, I’ve tried soymilk, which takes well to boiling. Here’s Minimalist’s Baker’s vegan version of Masala Chai in which she suggests using rich and creamy dairy-free milk such as oat milk or coconut milk. Sugar: Though a regular cup of chai is fine unsweetened, I find sweetener is critical to drawing out and balancing the spices of Masala Chai. I love using the less-processed turbinado (similar to demerara sugar) and adding it while making the chai. This way, it dissolves into the chai instead of settling down to the bottom of your cup. You can substitute with any sweetener of choice. If using honey or maple syrup, add it once you’ve taken it off the heat.
Whole Spices vs Ground Spices
I usually use the whole spices as-is for ease and because I find the long brew time is enough to extract their flavor. But I have tried grinding them and it does slightly increase their pungency.
For a slightly stronger flavor of the whole spices, roughly crush the spices using a mortar & pestle. For even sharper, more pronounced flavor, grind them in a spice grinder to make a chai masala powder. It won’t change the flavor profile or throw off the balance of the spices, it’ll just increase their intensity. The drawback of this method is that remnants of chai masala powder may rest at the bottom of your cup.
How to make Masala Chai
Here’s how to make the perfect cup:
How to Aerate Chai
In Pakistan and India, Chai vendors (called chai walah) use a ladle to repeatedly scoop up and pour back the chai. I find this enhances the taste and creaminess. Often, they’ll expertly pour the chai from a distance into small cups, creating natural, frothy bubbles. (Here’s a video by Travel Thirsty showing a chai vendor in India making masala chai. Toward the end, he aerates the chai by ‘pulling’ it from one cup to the next.) When I tried it, I noticed the more narrow the glass, the more frothy it gets (similar to how you need a narrow Turkish Ibrik to create froth on Turkish Coffee). Since most of us don’t have the hand-eye coordination of tea vendors, we can use a milk frother to create a similar effect.
Tips for the perfect cup
The type of tea you use is (obviously) super important to the overall flavor. I usually use Tapal tea, but this may be more because we’re used to it than for its quality. If the color is not deep enough or the chai is not strong enough after you’ve allowed the milk to simmer for a few minutes, feel free to add more tea bags/tea leaves. Lastly, like with any drink, you’ll discover your ideal cup over time. Even while (gladly) testing this recipe many times, my preferences evolved and fluctuated.
Variations
For a lighter cup, sometimes I like to use a smaller quantity (~1/4 cup) of evaporated milk along with some whole milk. In this case, simmer for less time to keep it light. More ‘sweet’ spices you can try experimenting with: star anise, nutmeg, and saffron.
How to Serve Masala Chai (Hot or Iced)
To Serve Hot: I love serving any type of milky tea with baked goods, cookies (or biscuits as many South Asians call them), or cake rusk. Since I sweeten Masala chai, it’s perfect as-is. To Serve Iced: Allow to cool, then store in the fridge until chilled. Top with ice cubes.
More Pakistani & Indian Drinks You’ll Love
20-Minute Kashmiri Chai (Pink Tea) Pakistani Chai (also called Doodh Pati) Plain Sweet Lassi Mango Lassi Turmeric/Golden Milk or Turmeric Tea
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