Masala chai literally means "mixed-spice tea". It is black tea brewed with milk and water, sweetened, and flavoured with aromatic spices.
This article is based on Wikipedia's article on masala chai.
- Name: "mixed-spice tea"
- Base: black tea brewed in milk and water
- Common spices: cardamom, ginger, cinnamon
- Also used: cloves, star anise, black pepper
- Popularised: early 20th century in India
What does "chai" mean?
The word chai comes from the Chinese word for tea, cha, via Hindi. In most Indian languages, "chai" simply means tea. In English, the spiced version is often called "chai tea" — which literally means "tea tea" — or a "chai latte" when made with steamed milk.
How masala chai became popular
- Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region since antiquity, but historically Indians viewed tea as an herbal medicine rather than a recreational drink.
- In the 1830s, the British East India Company began cultivating tea plantations in India to end China's monopoly.
- By 1900, Wikipedia notes, tea consumed in Great Britain came largely from India (50%) and Ceylon (33%).
- Consumption of black tea within India stayed low until a promotional campaign by the Indian Tea Association in the early 20th century encouraged tea breaks for workers and supported independent tea sellers (chaiwalas) along the railways.
- The Association initially disapproved of vendors adding spices and extra milk and sugar — which used less tea — but spiced chai went on to become firmly established.
The three parts of masala chai
| Component | What's typically used |
|---|---|
| Tea | Black tea, usually CTC; Assam, Darjeeling and Nilgiri are common in India |
| Masala (spices) | Most often cardamom, ginger and cinnamon; also cloves, star anise, black pepper, mint or lemongrass |
| Milk & sweetener | Traditionally buffalo milk in India; sugar, jaggery or honey |
Wikipedia notes regional variations: western Indian versions often leave out cloves and black pepper, and the Kashmiri version uses green tea with a pinch of salt.
A traditional method
Wikipedia describes a common Maharashtrian method for one cup:
- Combine half a cup of water and half a cup of milk in a pot over heat. Sugar may be added now or later.
- Grate in fresh ginger, then add tea masala — typically crushed ginger, cardamom, lemongrass, cloves and cinnamon.
- Bring to the boil, then add one teaspoon of loose black tea.
- Brew to your preferred strength, then strain.
Another approach is to simmer the spices in water first, add the tea, strain, and then add milk. For cinnamon, a piece of Ceylon cinnamon works well.
