Masala chai

The spiced tea that defines hospitality across the subcontinent

Origin: India

From the journey of Cinnamon.

Cinnamon is one of the five essential spices in masala chai (the spiced milk tea that is the national drink of India and Pakistan alike, consumed by well over a billion people daily. The specific blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper and cloves reflects the Malabar coast spice heritage: these are the spices that defined Kerala and Tamil Nadu as the world's great spice-producing regions for millennia. Each household in India has its own masala chai recipe, and the proportion of cinnamon) from a whisper to a dominant note: marks regional and family identity.

Ingredients

Base

  • 250 ml water
  • 250 ml whole milk

Tea

  • 2 tsp loose leaf black tea (Assam or Darjeeling)

Spices

  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
  • 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 black peppercorns, roughly crushed
  • 2 whole cloves

Sweetener

  • 2 tsp sugar, or to taste

Method

  1. Combine the water, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, sliced ginger, crushed peppercorns and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the loose tea leaves and stir briefly. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in the milk. Increase the heat and bring the chai back to just below boiling, stirring occasionally.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for a further 2 minutes, allowing the spices and tea to infuse fully into the milk.
  5. Add sugar and stir to dissolve. Taste and adjust sweetness.
  6. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into two mugs. Serve immediately.

Notes

The quality of the tea matters enormously. Use whole-leaf Assam for the most authentic result. The spice mixture can be pre-ground into a masala mix and stored in a jar for quick daily use.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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