Homemade Chai ka Masala | How to make homemade chai masala, an Indian tea spice blend for the perfect cup of chai.
In our house chai is a morning ritual, no morning is complete without a cup of steaming hot chai. The punch of ginger, the aroma of the spices in the tea warms us and wakes us up first before the caffeine kicks in. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the same about coffee or any other beverage the way I feel about my everyday chai. For making my everyday chai I use chai masala, a special blend of spices that are blended together.
Chai masala just like many dishes in Indian cuisine varies family to family, every household has their own special spice blend, some prefer to add more black pepper, some make it strong with cloves, others prefer it mild and subtle and add more cardamom, so the quantities vary according to one’s choice and taste.
My chai masala for my everyday chai consists of six simple ingredients:
Black Pepper | Kali Mirch: Balance’s chai flavors with a spicy kick, stimulates digestion and is an antidepressant.
Cardamom | Elaichi: Adds that beautiful fragrance and sweet flavor chai is most notably associated with, while regulating heart rate and detoxifying your body.
Cassia Cinnamon | Dalchini: Warms and naturally sweetens while regulating blood sugar and being a high source of antioxidants.
Cloves | Laung: Adds depth and acts as a perfect contrast to chai’s creaminess and sweetness. They also possess anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties.
Dried Ginger | Sounth: Used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and common cold, it also adds warmth and a spicy note.
Fennel | Saunf: Gives a cooling subtle licorice like taste while calming the nerves and promoting mental clarity.
With all these health benefits from the spices, it’s easy to see why chai was once used medicinally.
- ¼ cup cardamom pods / elaichi
- ¼ cup dried ginger powder / saunth
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks / dalchini
- 2 tablespoon fennel seeds / saunf
- 1 tablespoon cloves / laung
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns / kali mirch
- In a heavy bottom pan dry roast the cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Once cooled, add to a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind until it’s a smooth powder.
- Mix with dried ginger powder until fully incorporated.
- Store in an air-tight container and use as required.
Chai masala stays fresh for a minimum 3-4 months, although ours always runs out much sooner! If making a big batch, store it in an airtight container and always use a clean, dry spoon before using.
Do you make your own spice blends and masalas?
Enjoy!
Hi Nisha , thanks for sharing your chai recipe , sounds really easy to whip up and I’m definitely going to try it. Quick question , what is the ratio of spice to liquid ? I’ve never brewed chai so am a little unsure of the quantity to use to make a cuppa . Thank you .
Ps: follow you on instagram and enjoy your lovely posts especially ones related to Indian cultural aspects. Stay blessed
Hi Julie, Thank you so much! Here is a link to my everyday chai recipe with ratios: https://lovelaughmirch.com/everyday-chai-5-tips-make-best-chai/
Love good chai masala! I never have used fennel seeds in it but sounds like a good addition to the spice mix.
yessss chai is definitely a ritual for me too…i dont know why i havent made a batch of chai masala, thanks for the reminder. i never put fennel in mine but m interested to try it now
Do you grind the whole cardamom pods or take out the seeds to use? I’ve only made my mother in law’s recipe with already powdered spices, but I bet it would be even better to make the powders fresh! Also have never added fennel but now I want to! Thanks for sharing!
I grind the whole thing, the pod has so much flavor!
Do you dry roast the fennel too or do you just grind it?
Yes I dry roast it as well!
Hi Nisha. Thank you for your post. For me , chai is life, so sometimes I wonder if it’s not psychological that I cant function without it. I have been using my mom’s recipe tweaking it here and there to achieve the taste I like. I also usually run out too quickly