Adrak wali Chai (or Ginger tea), is a popular Indian beverage recipe made with black tea leaves (or tea bags), milk, ginger, and sugar. Serve this comforting beverage along with morning breakfast or evening snacks.
In an Indian household, generally, what gets us up and running first thing in the morning is a cup of hot 'kadak chai,' not latte, or espresso. Some people like their tea without milk, some may like it with milk and spices like cardamom, cinnamon and more.
Today, I am sharing a recipe for Ginger tea (adrak wali chai), where grated ginger is boiled along with the tea leaves and milk, giving it a warm, and comforting flavor—ready in just 10 minutes. It can be served for breakfast in the mornings or enjoyed with Indian snacks.
Rain or shine, people gather to unwind, relax, and socialize over a cup of tea. Other popular variations include regular chai, elaichi chai (cardamom tea), and masala chai (spiced milk tea).
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What Is Adrak Chai?
Ginger tea, also known as adrak wali chai in Hindi, is a popular Indian beverage made with black tea leaves, milk, ginger, and sugar. The ginger is sliced or grated and boiled along with the tea leaves for a warm and spicy flavor. It can be enjoyed either morning or evening.
Adrak chai is often enjoyed for its soothing properties when suffering from a cold or cough. However, during this season of change, a cup of ginger tea is not only comforting but also delicious.
Ingredients
You will need four main ingredients to make Authentic Indian Adrak Chai (Cha).
- Indian Tea (loose tea or tea bags): Use loose black tea leaves from Indian brands, typically made with Darjeeling or Assam tea leaves, using the CTC method. I recommend brands like Red Label, Tata Tea Gold, Wagh Bakri for loose black tea leaves, and Tetley British Blend for tea bags. These can be found at most Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
- Milk: I prefer to use full-fat dairy whole milk. Skimmed or low-fat milk also works fine.
- Ginger: For the best flavor, use fresh ginger root. If you prefer a stronger ginger taste, grate or crush the ginger using a mortar and pestle. For a milder flavor, simply add thinly sliced pieces of ginger. I use organic ginger and do not remove the peel. Avoid using dry ginger powder, as it gives a different taste.
- Whole Spices: I used cardamom. Make sure to use spices in very small quantities to prevent them from overpowering the chai.
- Sweetener: This is optional. While granulated white sugar is commonly used, you can substitute it with alternatives like brown sugar, jaggery, stevia, honey, or maple syrup. If using honey, maple syrup, or jaggery, add them only after the chai has been removed from the heat but is still hot.
How to Make Adrak Wali Chai
Boil the Water with Cardamom and Ginger
In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat, then add 2 crushed cardamom.
Grate a 1-inch piece of ginger directly into the pot of water. Boil for 2-3 minutes, or until the water turns a light yellowish color. This method ensures that all the flavors from the ginger and cardamom are fully infused into the water.
Add Tea Leaves and Sugar
Next, add 2-3 teaspoons loose black tea leaves (or 2 tea bags) and 2 teaspoons sugar (if using) to the boiling water.
Allow the tea to boil for another 1-2 minutes until it reaches a deep red hue, but be careful not to over-boil, as it may become bitter.
Add Milk and Boil the Chai
Add 1 cup whole milk and bring the tea to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes until the tea deepens in color. Simmering allows the tea to thicken and enhance its flavor.
Increase the heat to high and bring the chai to a rolling boil once more. When the chai is ready, a layer of milk cream will form on top. Turn off the stove at this point.
Note: You can simmer it for a longer time if you prefer a thicker consistency or a deeper color in your tea.
Strain and Serve
Strain the tea through a fine mesh sieve or tea strainer directly into cups or a teapot. Enjoy it hot!
How to Serve Ginger Tea?
Enjoy a hot cup of adrak chai, with your favorite breakfast dish, such as aloo paratha, rava upma, or masala bread toast in the morning.
It also goes great with any Indian snacks like samosa, onion pakora, poha chivda, or Indian chaats. It's also perfect with Parle-G biscuits, cake rusk, or even on its own for your evening.
Tips to Make the Best Adrak Chai
- Fresh ginger: Use fresh organic ginger root for the best flavor. Fresh ginger contains an enzyme, called zingipain. It can break down the protein in the milk and lead to curdling of milk. So always boil the water with the ginger and spices, first before adding the milk. Grate, crush, or slice the ginger before adding it to the tea.
- Tea Leaves: If you do not have Indian tea leaves, English breakfast tea is one of the closest alternatives. However, Assam tea works best for this beverage.
- Tea Bags: When chai with tea bags, I suggest using an extra one, as they tend to have less flavor compared to loose black tea.
- Simmer: Simmer the tea for a few extra minutes after adding milk if your chai has not reached the desired consistency and color you prefer. You can also add some extra tea powder or a bag if it's not strong enough.
- Milk: Feel free to increase or decrease the quantity of the milk as per your liking. You can also use oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk as a plant-based milk substitute.
- Spices: To add aroma and flavor, I add cardamom (elaichi). You can skip it, if you don't like the flavor.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar, but if you're looking to avoid refined sugar, organic jaggery powder is a great alternative. Just be sure to add the jaggery powder at the very end to prevent the milk from curdling.
Variations
There are many variations of this ginger tea. All of them are super easy and quick to make.
For instance, ginger-tulsi tea, ginger-cinnamon tea, ginger-turmeric tea, and more. If you are wondering how to make them, fret not! You just have to add these ingredients together with other ingredients, like grated ginger and water, add milk, and get your cuppa ready!
More Indian Drink Recipes
Adrak Wali Chai
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2-3 teaspoons loose leaf black tea (or 2 tea bags)
- 1 inch ginger freshly grated
- 2 cardamoms
- 2 teaspoons sugar adjust to taste
Instructions
Boil the Water with Cardamom and Ginger
- In a saucepan, bring water to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the crushed cardamom.
- Grate a 1-inch piece of ginger directly into the pot of water. Boil for 2-3 minutes, or until the water turns a light yellowish color. This method ensures that all the flavors from the ginger and cardamom are fully infused into the water.
Add Tea Leaves and Sugar
- Next, add the loose black tea leaves (or tea bags) and sugar (if using) to the boiling water.
- Allow the tea to boil for another 1-2 minutes until it reaches a deep red hue, but be careful not to over-boil, as it may become bitter.
Add Milk and Boil the Chai
- Add the milk and bring the tea to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 5 minutes until the tea deepens in color. Simmering allows the tea to thicken and enhance its flavor.
- Increase the heat to high and bring the chai to a rolling boil once more. When the chai is ready, a layer of milk cream will form on top. Turn off the stove at this point.Note: You can simmer it for a longer time if you prefer a thicker consistency or a deeper color in your tea.
Strain and Serve
- Pour the tea through a fine mesh sieve or tea strainer directly into cups or teapots. Drink hot!
Nutrition
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