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Chai from scratch is simple, cheap and incomparably better than syrup based versions, once you know it is a simmered drink, not a steeped one. This sits in the tea making cluster beside tea lattes.
What real chai is
Traditional masala chai is strong black tea simmered with whole spices, milk and sweetener, not tea with a flavour syrup. The simmering is the technique, see chai vs masala chai.
The spices
Cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, fresh ginger optional. Lightly crush whole spices for the best extraction; ground works but is less clean, see chai recipes.
The tea
A strong, robust Assam style black is traditional and necessary, it must stand up to spice and milk. A delicate tea disappears, see Assam.
The method
Simmer crushed spices in water a few minutes, add tea and simmer, add milk and bring back up, sweeten, strain. Simmering, not steeping, builds the depth, see brewing basics.
Milk and sweetener
Traditionally whole milk and a fair amount of sugar or jaggery; adjust to taste, oat milk works well, see best milk.
Common mistakes
Weak tea, not simmering, pre ground stale spice, or adding milk too early and scalding it. Strong tea, real simmer, fresh whole spice fixes all of them.
What it boils down to
Simmer whole spices, add strong black, then milk, then sweeten, then strain. Real chai is a five minute technique that beats any concentrate, see chai latte.
Chai from scratch, at a glance
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Tea | Strong black, Assam ideally; it must survive a simmer |
| Spices | Whole, bruised: cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, pepper |
| Method | Simmer spices and tea in water and milk, do not just steep |
| Sweetener | Integral to the style, but to taste, not by default |
| Not | A syrup-and-steamed-milk cafe chai latte; that is a different drink |
Picks from the same corner: the chai range.
More tea reading
More from the tea wiki
- Green tea
- Black tea
- Oolong tea
- White tea
- Herbal tea
- Caffeine in tea
- How to make tea properly
- Loose leaf vs teabag
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