This homemade Chai Masala Powder (Tea Masala) is a fragrant and flavorful blend of whole Indian spices, perfect for preparing authentic Masala Chai.
Every Indian household has its own perfect blend of spices for making chai masala. Today, I am sharing my secret homemade chai masala powder recipe that your family will love. Please follow the exact measurements to get the best result.
What is Chai Masala?
Chai Masala is a blend of whole Indian spices typically used to make milk tea. Masala means Spice, and Chai means Tea. Adding chai ka masala enhances the taste of tea and has several medicinal benefits.
What is Masala Chai?
Tea is one of the most popular beverages in India and around the world, and masala chai (spiced tea) is one among them. It is made by boiling black tea in water and milk with fragrant spices.
People in India enjoy drinking tea in the morning and evening. It is typically served with Indian breakfast or snacks like samosa, onion pakoras, or chaats.
Benefits of Chai Masala
- It is rich in antioxidants and reduces inflammation.
- It helps to fight colds and coughs and soothes throat infections.
- It aids digestion and helps to boost metabolism.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients for making an aromatic Chai Masala recipe and their health benefits. These spices are easily available in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
- Green Cardamon (Elaichi) - is a green spice with an intense aroma that adds a slightly sweet flavor. Use the whole green pod. It aids digestive health and has antioxidants.
- Cloves (Laung) - Add earthy and strong spice flavor to your chai. Cloves contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch) - They add a slight spice and hint of sweetness to the masala chai. It has anti-inflammatory properties, aids digestion, and is good for colds and coughs.
- Cinnamon (Dal Chini) - It adds sweetness and warmth to the tea. It's great for gut health and has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Dry Ginger Powder (Saunth) - It adds a subtly sweet, warm, and spicy flavor. It helps to boost digestion and promotes gut health.
- Nutmeg (Jayphal) - Adds slight warmness, sweetness, and nutty flavor. It is great for relieving pain and soothing digestion.
- Fennel seeds (Saunf) - are a cooling spice and add a nice aroma to the tea. It helps to improve digestion and relieve pain.
Do you want to know more about Indian Spices? Check out our detailed guide on Indian Spices and Herbs.
How to Make Chai Masala Powder at Home?
Add the following whole spices (except ginger powder) to a pan.
- 2 tablespoons green cardamon
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- ½ piece nutmeg
- ½ tablespoon fennel seeds
Dry roast for 2-3 minutes on low flame until aromatic. Keep aside and cool completely.
Transfer the roasted spices and 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder to a coffee/spice grinder and grind them until it's a slightly coarse or fine powder.
Transfer it to an airtight jar and store it at room temperature.
How to use Chai Ka Masala?
Add ¼ teaspoon of this tea masala per cup to make perfect masala chai.
Serving Suggestions
Chai masala powder can be added to milk tea, plain black tea, or green tea and enjoyed as a hot beverage.
It can be added with plain water and boiled for a few minutes and enjoyed as an immunity booster drink to heal soar throat, cold, or cough.
It can also be added to cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc.
Storage Suggestions
This Chai Masala stays good at room temperature for up to 1-2 months in an airtight container. I highly recommend making it in small quantities to retain freshness.
Tips to make the Best Indian Chai Masala Powder
- Whole Spices: use whole spices to get the best results.
- Roasting Spices: I have roasted the whole spices to elevate the flavors and to eliminate moisture in the spices, if any. However, it is not mandatory to roast the spices before grinding them to a powder.
- For Perfect Flavor and Taste: Always follow the exact measurements and ingredients used in the recipe to make perfect tea.
- Serving Quantity: Add ¼ teaspoon of Chai masala powder to every cup of tea.
- Dont have a Spice Grinder? Then, use a mortar and pestle to make chai masala powder. It may result in coarsely ground spices.
- Whole Nutmeg: If making a big batch, do not add the whole nutmeg to the spice grinder, as it can damage the blade. Crush it or grate the nutmeg using a cheese grater before grinding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toasting/Roasting spices is a personal preference. I prefer to toast the spices before grinding as it helps to elevate the flavors of the spice. It also helps to remove excess moisture in the spices and helps to increase the shelf life of masala tea powder.
However, if you don't have time, simply add all your spices to the spice grinder and blend.
Yes, you can leave out the ginger powder while making the chai masala. And use fresh ginger while making masala chai. You can grate, slice, or roughly crush the fresh ginger before adding it.
Other Spice Blends, You may like
- Dominos Oregano Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Panch Phoran (Indian Five Spice Blend)
Chai Masala Powder Recipe (Tea Masala)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons green cardamon (elaichi)
- 1 tablespoon cloves (laung)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder (saunth)
- 2 inch cinnamon stick (dal chini)
- ½ piece nutmeg (jayphal)
- ½ tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
Instructions
- Dry roast the whole spices (except ginger powder) for 2-3 minutes on low flame until aromatic. Keep aside and cool compeltely.
- Transfer the roasted spices and dry ginger powder to a coffee/spice grinder and grind them until it's slightly coarse powder.
- Transfer it to an airtight jar and store it at room temperature.
Notes
Tips to make the Best Chai Masala Powder
- Whole Spices: use whole spices to get the best results.
- Roasting Spices: I have roasted the whole spices to elevate the flavors and to eliminate moisture in spices if any. However, it is not mandatory to roast the spices before grinding them to a powder.
- For perfect flavor and taste: Always follow the exact measurements and ingredients used in the recipe to make perfect tea.
- Serving Quantity: Add ¼ teaspoon of Chai masala powder to every cup of tea.
- Dont have a Spice Grinder? Then use a mortar and pestle to make chai masala powder. It may result in coarsely ground spices.
- Whole Nutmeg: If making in a big batch, do not add the whole nutmeg to the spice grinder as it can damage the blade. Crush it or grate the nutmeg using a cheese grater before adding.
Nutrition
★ Like this recipe? FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube for more quick & easy recipes.
Lucy
The best masala so far
Bhavana Patil
Hi Lucy, I am so glad you liked it.:) Thanks for trying it.
Binta Bintu Sani
Good and nice aroma tea masala
Bhavana Patil
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Binta:)
Debbie Knight
Great recipe
Bhavana Patil
Hi Debbie, Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. Glad you liked it.