Masala chai | tea

Masala chai or tea is a flavored hot beverage, popular in India. It is made by brewing black tea with Indian spices. My mom used to prepare the best masala tea. Ginger is the herb used to cure cold and has a lot of medicinal values too.

Lot of variations can be done in this. Cardamon and ginger alone can be added for ginger tea. Dry roasting the masala is vital to enhance the flavor of spices. Do not skip that. Follow these simple steps to have a wonderful beverage......

(For single serving)
Ingredients:

• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Tea powder - 1.5 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tsp
• Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp

For tea masala:

• Cloves - 3
• Cinnamon - 1 small stick
• Cardamon -1

Method:

Dry roast the cloves, cinnamon and cardamon till aroma rises. Grind to a powder through a pestle or mortar pestle. Grate the ginger.

In half cup of boiling water add tea powder, let it boil for few minutes. Add ginger and add half cup of boil in a medium flame.

Add the ground masala powder and boil for a minute. Close the sauce pan with a lid and let it rest for a minute. Filter to remove the masala and tea powders.

Add sugar or any sweetener and mix well. Serve hot with biscuits.

Note:

• The masala  I have given is for single serving. You can triple the quantity and grind.It can be stored in an air tight container and kept for a week.
• Do not over stock for days, you will not have flavor. Fresh tea masala taste and flavors right.
• Fresh ginger can be replaced with dry ginger(sukku) powder.
• Do not over boil the tea powder with milk.