Beverages Vegetarian

Royal Masala Chai (Spiced Kadak Indian Tea)

Name: Royal Masala Chai (Spiced Kadak Indian Tea)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Beverages
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)

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

By Priya Sharma

Published October 31, 2026

5.0

31 community reviews

1,893

Views

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Servings

2 people

About This Recipe

Masala Chai is far more than a morning beverage in India; it is a warm embrace and a cherished ritual. Brewed by simmering bold Assam CTC tea leaves with crushed whole spices and creamy milk until it achieves a rich caramel hue.

The gentle heat of crushed fresh ginger paired with sweet notes of green cardamom and cinnamon creates an invigorating cup that calms the mind and lifts the spirits.

FRESH PANTRY

Ingredients List

Servings: 2

Click on ingredients as you cook to check them off!

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)

CHEF's METHOD

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

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.

Pro Tip: Coarsely crushed spices release fresh oils much better than powders.

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.

Pro Tip: Boiling spices first extracts deep therapeutic warmth.

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.

Pro Tip: Assam CTC gives that quintessential strong body and briskness.

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.

Pro Tip: Aerating the chai creates that silky, full-bodied mouthfeel.

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.

Pro Tip: Nothing beats the comfort of a freshly brewed cup of kadak chai.

Chef's Secret Notes & Storage Tips

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.

Ratings & Reviews (0)

Leave a Review

Be the first to try this recipe and leave a rating!

Rate & Review this Recipe

Your Rating

Your Name

Your Email (never published)

Your Review / Cooking Tips

Cooking in the Kitchen?

Get our clean, ink-friendly printable recipe card with zero distractions.

Open Printable Recipe Card

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (2 total servings)

Calories 110 kcal

Protein 4g

Carbohydrates 14g

Total Fat 4g

Dietary Fiber 0g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Priya Sharma

Culinary Contributor

Culinary storyteller and traditional Indian gastronomy researcher with 12 years of homestyle cooking expertise.

View Author Recipes

Recipe Tags

#Vegetarian #Quick 30-Min #Traditional