Diaspora's House Masala Chai

The spices in our very first 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 Iniya Cardamom from Tamil Nadu; 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.

Our house blend is warm, cardamom-forward 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.

How-to make Chai Masala video here!

Looking for Sana's Kadak Spicy Chai recipe using our whole spices? Click here.

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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 iced, use ¾ cup water at the beginning to make it more concentrated to account for the ice dilution, chill the strained chai and pour over ice!