Classic Indian Masala Chai
A wholesome Indian recipe crafted for health-conscious eating: nutritious, delicious, and easy to make at home.
Tea simmered with ginger cardamom and milk — everyday Indian masala chai.
A proper masala chai is milk, water, tea leaves, ginger and cardamom boiled together. The order matters: spices first, then tea, then milk. It makes a strong, fragrant cup that does not need a lot of sugar.
Ingredients
How to Make It
Boil water spices.
Add tea; then milk.
Simmer; strain; serve.
Nutrition per serving
* Approximate values per serving
Health Benefits
Comfort tea — keep sugar low. Fresh ginger beats powdered masala dumps.
Boiling the spices in water first pulls out the flavour before the milk goes in. Strong tea and milk simmered together give a full body.
Pro Tips
- →Don’t overboil bitter.
- →Fresh crush spices.
- →Serve hot.
- →Crush the cardamom and ginger so they release more flavour.
- →Add the tea leaves after the spices have boiled for a minute.
- →Simmer after adding milk for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not rush it.
A calorie note
Most of the calories in this dish come from a few ingredients. For reference, per 100 g: Sugar: about 387 kcal (about 20 kcal per teaspoon); Whole milk: about 61 kcal. Measure these with a spoon or scale, because small changes here move the total more than anything else. Values are rounded from USDA FoodData Central and the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017), as of 13 Oct 2026, and vary by variety and by table. General information, not medical advice.
Variations
- 1Tulsi.
- 2Pepper.
- 3Add a small piece of cinnamon or a few tulsi leaves for variety.
Frequently Asked Questions
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