Masala Chai

Recipe: 5+ Spices & Herbs For Flavourful Chai In Monsoon

If you’ve grown up in India, spent more than a week here, or even just consumed enough media around India, then you know tea runs this country! A hot cup of chai can soothe the soul. And if that’s masala chai, then it’s like icing on the cake, or as the Hindi saying goes, sone pe suhaga. A fragrant, comforting hot beverage, masala chai brings together black tea with milk and a combination of spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. It is warming, boosts immunity, and feels like the perfect cup for rainy evenings.

The difference between regular chai and masala chai is in the addition of spices and herbs, from ginger to cardamom. You can customise the spices you add, but the basic masala chai recipe (for 2 cups) goes like this: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil with 1 inch of crushed ginger, 2 lightly crushed green cardamom pods, and 1 small cinnamon stick. Add 2 tsp loose black tea leaves and simmer for 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup milk and add 1–2 tsp sugar (or to taste). Simmer for 3–4 minutes until the chai is aromatic and lightly reduced. Strain into cups and serve hot. Now, understand the role of the five core spices. 

One of the most common additions to tea, elaichi may be added to most brews – even in the absence of other ingredients. Almost every masala chai recipe will list this tiny pod for its aroma. Often called the backbone of chai, it offers a sweet, floral, and refreshing aroma. You can add the cardamom as is, or lightly crush it with a mortar and pestle for a deeper aroma. 

This one’s for both flavour and immunity! Ginger adds a sharp, fiery kick, and people can shy away from adding it if they’re new to masala chai recipes. However, it’s great for soothing sore throats and aiding digestion. You can use dried ginger powder in a pre-made spice mix, or crush fresh ginger when brewing. Crushing works better than slicing in releasing oils. To get the most flavour out of your ginger for masala chai, peel a fresh1/2-inch piece and smash it flat using a mortar and pestle before tossing it into your boiling water.

Dalchini or cinnamon brings a perception of sweetness and a woody, comforting aroma to the tea, while also balancing the more pungent of fiery spices (like ginger and black pepper). It’s best to use a cinnamon stick and not powder since the latter does not always strain completely. Add a small 1-inch piece per cup, but crush it lightly before adding. 

If monsoons have you sniffling and coughing, then your masala chai recipe needs black peppercorns. They add a sharp, spicy bite to the tea and are excellent for clearing sinuses. For a soothing throat-tingle, lightly crush 3–5 whole black peppercorns (with a mortar and pestle) per cup. If you’re new to the flavour, start with a smaller quantity and adjust as per your taste. 

Cloves bring a bold, warming kick and rich depth to masala chai. They aid in digestion, relieve throat irritation, and add a beautiful aromatic complexity. To avoid an overpowering medicinal flavour, use 1 to 2 whole cloves per cup in your masala chai recipe. Like with other spices, add them to boiling water before adding milk and after crushing them lightly with a mortar and pestle. 

Apart from these, there are other spices you can add for aroma, depth, or medicinal properties. A few common additions are fennel (saunf) and dry rose petals for aromatic layers, tulsi for both aroma and medicinal benefits (it helps with a sore throat), and crushed nutmeg (jaiphal) and star anise for aiding digestion. You can choose a mix that best suits your taste buds and dietary needs. 

For a cooling summer blend, swap out heavy spices and focus on soothing additions like dry rose petals, tulsi (holy basil), and just a hint of cardamom and fennel. On the other hand, during rainy days (or even winters), go for a ‘kadak’ (strong) mix of spices and sugar. Add generous amounts of ginger and black peppercorns, backed up by cloves.

The best thing about the masala chai recipe is that you can brew a mix that’s uniquely yours! Chai is the unofficial beverage of monsoons, available in every home, street corner, office kitchen, college canteen, dhabas, and everywhere else in between. It doesn’t just keep the nation running; it provides that undeniable mix of goodness and warmth that makes everything just a little easier to go through.