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Source: allrecipe4u

Royal Masala Chai (Spiced Kadak Indian Tea)

Recipe by Priya Sharma • Cuisine: Beverages

The quintessential warming Indian brew simmered with crushed fresh ginger, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and whole milk.

Royal Masala Chai (Spiced Kadak Indian Tea)
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Yield
2 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2.5 teaspoons Assam CTC Black Tea leaves (Bold strong leaf)
  • 1 inch piece Fresh Ginger (Washed and roughly crushed)
  • 3 pods Green cardamom pods (Cracked open)
  • 0.5 inch Cinnamon stick (Ceylon stick)
  • 2 each Cloves & Black peppercorns (Warming aromatics)
  • 1.5 cups Water (Filtered)
  • 1 cup Whole milk (Creamy full-fat milk)
  • 2 teaspoons Raw sugar or jaggery (To taste)

Instructions

1
Crush Whole Spices
Using a stone mortar and pestle, crush the fresh ginger, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and black peppercorns until coarsely bruised and fragrant.
* Tip: Coarsely crushed spices release fresh oils much better than powders.
2
Boil Spiced Water
Bring 1.5 cups of filtered water to a rolling boil in a tea saucepan. Add the crushed spices and simmer on medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes until the water turns golden and aromatic.
* Tip: Boiling spices first extracts deep therapeutic warmth.
3
Add Tea Leaves
Add 2.5 teaspoons of bold Assam CTC tea leaves and raw sugar. Simmer on medium-high heat for 2 minutes as the brew darkens to a rich amber-red.
* Tip: Assam CTC gives that quintessential strong body and briskness.
4
Simmer with Milk
Pour in 1 cup of whole milk. Bring the chai to a boil until the foam rises up the sides of the saucepan. Lower the heat, let the foam settle, and repeat this rising process twice more while gently stirring with a ladle.
* Tip: Aerating the chai creates that silky, full-bodied mouthfeel.
5
Strain and Savor
Pour the steaming chai through a fine stainless steel tea strainer directly into traditional clay kulhads or ceramic mugs. Serve hot with biscuits or fresh theplas.
* Tip: Nothing beats the comfort of a freshly brewed cup of kadak chai.
Chef's Secret Tip: Always crush whole spices fresh in a mortar and pestle just before brewing. Aerating the tea by lifting the ladle and pouring it back into the pot enhances flavor extraction.
Calories: 110 kcal
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 14g
Fats: 4g
Fiber: 0g
Find more delicious tested recipes at allrecipe4u • Printed on 2026-11-02