Masala Chai Tea Latte

Masala means a blend of spices in the Indian language. Masala Chai Tea involves a harmony of spices, milk, sugar, and tea. I’ve discovered how to create the perfect Masala Chai Tea Latte with a 4 secret ingredients. Here it is.

A strong brew of tea, the proper intensity of spices, and a balanced ratio of milk to sugar gives the rich golden brown signature of Chai Tea. Jumpstart your day with with an energy boosting cup of hot Masala Chai Tea Latte.

My first real Chai Tea experience was in upstate New York. I moved there for my residency and got a cold during my travels. My good friend made me homemade Masala Chai Tea. It was warm, rich, and spicy, with the right touch of sweetness. My cold was cured in days.

I began to appreciate the thoughtfulness of the process, and the rejuvenating effects of brewing a Chai Tea from scratch.

After I tasted strong, authentic Chai Tea, I stopped drinking my pre-mixed Chai powder. There’s more depth (and caffeine) to drinking tea prepared from fresh tea leaves. I think you’ll enjoy it too!

What Tea Leaf Should I Choose?

You can use any type of black tea to your liking, however I recommend to use a good quality black tea. Go for teas with smaller broken leaves. With increased surface area, they infuse into a richer, full-bodied tea.

The most popular choices of teas for Chai Tea preparation are Assam and Darjeeling. Both teas are common in India. I prefer Assam tea since it has a stronger base and depth.

I buy a lot of my teas from my local tea room, The Steeping Room. One of my favorites is their Organic Assam Black Breakfast Tea Blend, described as brisk, straight forward, medium-bodied, malty and toasty. You can also get Assam Black tea from Amazon.

The tea becomes more intense the longer it is brewed, but when paired with a heavy milk (such as whole milk or oat milk), it makes a smooth finish. I use Oatly’s Barista Blend from Whole Foods. You can get a pack of 4 on Amazon.

Where Can I Find The Spices?

You can source the ingredients at your local Indian grocery store, or the spices section at your supermarket.

To buy the ingredients online, here are my recommendations:

• Heawan’s Premium Grade Organic Whole Cloves
• Spice Train’s Organic Raw Cardamom
• Simply Organic Cinnamon Sticks
• Soeos Whole Black Peppercorn

Want a Stronger Chai Tea?

I find my recipe is plenty strong for myself, but if you want a stronger brew, you can try any of these options:

• Adding an extra 2-3 teaspoons of tea leaves during the boiling process.
• Crushing the tea leaves and spices to smaller sizes prior to steeping.
• Simmering the tea in water for 2-3 minutes longer for a total of 10 minutes of steeping.

Why Toast The Spices?

Toasting the spices bring out aromatics. Silk Road Diary explains that toasting the spices intensifies their flavor, bringing out the aromatic oils and adding complexity to their taste by adding on a warm, toasty flavor. Not to mention, it makes your kitchen smell amazing!

Tip: Keep the heat low as you’re toasting the spices to prevent them from burning, and make sure to keep your eye on the spices.

Want An Ice Cold Chai?

If you want a cold Chai Tea Latte, brew it a little stronger and add a little more sugar. Then add big chunks of ice. The ice will melt and dilute it to a nice intensity.

*Caffeine Content Warning*

Caffeine Content High! Black tea, especially prepared with crushed tea leaves, can leave you feeling very energetic. For an 8-ounce cup of Chai Tea, you can get 60mg to 120mg of caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, please consult your doctor before consuming more than the daily recommended dose of caffeine.

As an example, my mother has enjoyed a delicious cup of this Masala Chai Tea Latte in the morning and was fully functional until 4 am the next day.

Recipe

Ingredients

Spices

• 6 whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks 3 inches each
• 6 cardamom seeds cracked. We will need both the pod and seeds.
• 4 whole black peppercorns

Tea

• ½ inch ginger sliced
• 3 cups water
• 6 teaspoons loose leaf black tea (I use Assam Black Tea)
• 1 cup milk (I use Oatly’s Barista Blend)
• 3-4 teaspoons turbinado cane sugar

Instructions

1. In small saucepan, on low heat, toast spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and peppercorns) for 4-5 minutes. Add ginger, stir for 1 minute.
2. In a small pot, on high heat, let water boil then add tea leaves. Turn heat down to simmer for 7 minutes.
3. Add milk and sugar, stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and strain, keeping the liquid only.
4. Pour latte into mugs and enjoy!

Storage

I prefer my Chai Tea Latte warm and fresh, but you can always store it for the next day.

I don’t microwave my drinks because it drastically changes the chemistry of the drink. To warm it up, I put it in a small pot on low heat to warm up again, stirring frequently.