How to Make Masala Chai

Masala Chai is a warming drink made by steeping toasted whole spices in water with additional aromatics and black tea. The mixture is then boiled with sugar and milk to yield a not-too-sweet, not-too-creamy drink.

A traditional Indian tea drink, Masala Chai’s name is often shorted incorrectly to just, chai. The word chai means tea, so the inclusion of masala is what differentiates this drink from plain brewed tea. Masala refers to mixed spices, meaning Masala Chai is a mixed spice tea.

This recipe was developed by Maya Kaimal, Indian cooking expert, cookbook author, and founder of Maya Kaimal Foods, an Indian packaged food brand. Kaimal features a traditional blend of whole spices in this Masala Chai including cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and ground ginger.

For the black tea, Kaimal suggests using Darjeeling or orange pekoe tea; Darjeeling has blends intense tannins with a floral, almost grape-y subtly and Orange Pekoe brews to with a more orange-tinged hue and offers citrus notes. —Lucy Simon