Drink: Authentic Indian Chai

November 01, 2025 13 Comments

IT'S MASALA CHAI, FOLKS! 

Not chai tea, which is like saying 'tea tea'. The italics are intentional. I do find it irritating. But I understand the reason for the mistake as well. Can we meet in the middle and call it slightly irritating? It’s why I used italics instead of caps and bold. Regardless, we're all good. I got it off my chest, I'm sharing, and we're learning.

Chai is black tea leaves boiled in water and infused with whole spices. That boiling pot of deliciousness is then mixed with milk, sweetened, and served piping hot. The key here is balance. Nothing – especially the sweetness – should be off balance. Why the syrupy sludge they serve in some coffee chains is truly disappointing to those of us who know better. It's not even close to what we drink and call 'chai'. If you like it – go for it, but know that it can be and is so, so much better!

Growing up Indian in Pennsylvania, it was my job to make the weekend morning chai. I began with a small-ish pot and measured out 3 cups of water for three people. As I waited for a boil, I'd squash 4 green cardamom pods and a clove or two in a miniature brass mortar and pestle my mother kept in a drawer to the left side of the stove. I’m not going to lie, some of the aggression I felt for not being allowed to sleep in on a Saturday came out on those poor spices – but the chai was better for it.

The ground, fragrant mix was added to the boiling water with a broken stick of cinnamon, and if I felt generous or someone had a cold, a slice of fresh ginger. Then it tumbled together in a mad boil until everything darkened. Only then did I add the teabags. My personal rule was one bag per cup of tea. Two minutes of boiling, and then would come the milk (whole, 2 percent, or skim), just enough to make the concoction slightly creamy. Too much milk and the proportion would be off. As chai came to a full boil, it would have to be watched intently lest it overboil – the signs of a novice in the arena of chai making. Once boiled, I’d turn the stove off, fish out the teabags, and put a lid on the pot to allow the intense heat to truly fuse all the flavors. Then, one more boil and I’d pour it into the respective mugs, along with a teaspoon of honey each. Sigh. Perfection every time.

xoxo Anupy

Drink: Scratch Indian Chai

Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
  
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
  
• 3 black cloves, crushed
  
• 1 small cinnamon stick, whole or broken
  
• 1 slice ginger
  
• 2 black tea bags
  
• ¼ - ½ cup milk (whole, 2 percent, skim)
  
• ½ teaspoon honey or sweetener of choice
  

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot.  
   
2. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Boil until the water darkens. 
   
3. Add the tea bags and boil until the water darkens. 
   
4. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Watch it closely so it does not overboil.
   
5. Remove and discard the teabag and turn the heat off. Put the lid on and let it sit for about 2 minutes.
   
6. Remove the lid and bring the mixture to another boil. Strain (remove and discard the spices and ginger), add honey, and serve piping hot. 
   

Notes

Check out the recipe below for our authentic Indian chai 'shortcut method,' using Indian As Apple Pie chai masala.

Drink: Chai from our Chai Masala

Prep: 1 minute
Cook: ~5 minutes
Total: ~6 minutes
Makes: ~1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
  
• 1 black tea bag or equivalent loose-leaf tea
  
• Slice of fresh ginger, optional
  
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon Indian As Apple chai masala
  
• ¼ cup milk, dairy or alternative
  
• 1 - 2 teaspoons sugar, honey, or sweetener of choice
  

Instructions

1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the teabag and simmer for about 2 ½ minutes. For additional flavor, add a small piece of fresh ginger.
2. Add the chai masala and simmer for another minute. Add the milk and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
3. Strain and transfer to a mug. Sweeten and enjoy.
   

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