3-Step Spiced Chai

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This 3-step spiced chai recipe makes a rich, cardamom-forward cup. Our Chai Masala is warm and delightfully spicy. We love a rich, spice-forward cup, so our team generally uses about 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the blend. If you're looking for full-flavor-but-gentler cup, use 1 teaspoon. For a richer, more luscious cup of chai, switch the water and milk proportions, using 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of cow or plant-based milk.

The spices in our Chai Masala are the result of four years of sourcing across 40 small, regenerative family farms throughout India and Sri Lanka. In this masala, you'll encounter Baraka Cardamom and Aranya Pepper from Kerala; Makhir Ginger from Meghalaya; Lucknowi Fennel from Uttar Pradesh; and Kandyan Cloves and Peni Miris Cinnamon from Kandy, Sri Lanka. It's the result of over a million WhatsApp messages and voice notes, over 20 sourcing visits, and thousands of humans’ dedication across three continents all blended and poured into our dreamiest, spiciest cup of chai.

More of a visual learner? Watch our chai tutorial here!

Please note: This recipe uses our Chai Masala, and is perfect for you if you like to customize your ratios of black tea and chai spices. If you want to completely DIY your chai, and make a fresh spice blend yourself, see the recipe for Sana's Spiced Chai (from scratch). If you just want a great cup of chai minus the ratios or guesswork, see our Easy Masala Chai recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup water
1–2 teaspoons Chai Masala
1–2 teaspoons Chota Tingrai Black Tea or 1 black tea bag
1/2 cup milk or plant-based milk
Sweetener, such as Madhur Jaggery, sugar, honey or date syrup, to taste

Methods

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Add 1-2 teaspoons of the chai masala, depending on how spice-forward you’d like it, and simmer for 2 minutes to allow the spices to infuse into the water.
Add the milk of your choice, black tea, and your desired amount of sweetener, bring back to a gentle boil and simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a cup and enjoy hot. Or, do as Sana’s nani taught her and pour into a wide, rimmed saucer and sip like a cat!

For an iced masala chai:

Use just ¾ cup water at the beginning to make it more concentrated to account for the ice dilution.
Chill the strained chai or let cool for 10 minutes, and pour over ice!