How to Make Masala Tea: A Flavorful Tradition in Every Cup
There’s nothing quite like a cup of masala tea to awaken your senses. Rich, aromatic, and deeply rooted in Indian culture, masala chai is more than just a beverage—it’s a daily ritual. Whether you're looking to recreate your favorite roadside chai experience or just craving something warm and spiced at home, learning how to make authentic masala tea is easier than you think. And the secret? It’s all in the ingredients and the blend.
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let’s understand what masala tea is made of and why choosing the right blend—like Tea India Masala Chai Tea—can make all the difference.
What Is Masala Tea Made Of?
Masala tea is a traditional Indian beverage made by brewing black tea with a signature blend of warming spices and milk. The classic masala chai mix typically includes cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper—each spice adding its own depth and character to the cup. The result is a bold, slightly sweet, and spicy tea that’s both comforting and energizing.
While the base recipe remains the same, the flavor can vary widely depending on how fresh the spices are and how well they’re balanced.
That’s exactly where Tea India Masala Chai Teastands out.
Is masala tea the same as chai tea?
How to prepare masala tea at home?
Masala tea is made in most households in India, and you will find that every single one has their take on how best to make it. Just like some people like their black tea a certain way. If you want to make it at home, then you need to know how best to prepare it so that you and your family can then enjoy it together.
The base that you need is a standard black tea, one that you can then add the appropriate spices to transform into a gorgeous, warming cup of masala tea.
Our favorite mix for masala tea is:
- 350ml of water
- 100ml of milk
- 4 black peppercorns
- 10 cardamom pods, crushed lightly
- A pinch of fennel seeds
- Small piece of a cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp of fresh ginger, peeled, and roughly sliced
- 1 black tea bag
Method
- Gather the ingredients.
- Grind spices together
- Bring water to the boil
- Just before the water comes to a rolling boil, add the tea bag (you can use tea leaves if you prefer), followed by the ground spices, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes
- Then add Milk and sugar and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes
- Pour into a cup and relax and enjoy!
How to make masala tea without milk
The above recipe called for masala tea to be made with milk, but what if you don't have milk as a part of your diet?
The good news is that you can enjoy masala tea without milk. It works much like a traditional tea in the fact that it can be served without milk. You may find that you need to add slightly more water from the above recipe.
Of course, you could always add dairy-free milk to your tea if you prefer it to be creamy and light. However, it is entirely up to you, and the spice mixture will still allow for a delicious flavor.
How to make spicy tea masala
The nature of masala tea is that it is supposed to be lightly spiced, but some people prefer to have a slightly spicier tea than the standard. If this is the case for you, you can always up the spices you use; more cinnamon can increase your tea's spice level, as can the ginger. However, be aware that these ingredients can transform the flavor of the tea.
Want more spice in your teacup?
Feel inspired to try out masala tea for yourself? Why not take a look at Tea India’s superior range of 3 Pack bundle tea bags? Offering a range of flavorsome drinks that have been expertly formulated to tantalize your taste buds, you are sure to discover delicious exotic flavors that you may not have even thought to try before, along with some old favorites. Perfect for those relaxing moments at the end of a busy day, from masala chai loose tea to cardamom chai, we’ve got it all.