Masala chai, a creamy, soothing South Asian beverage, is a heavenly combination of black tea, spices, sugar, and milk. You can customize the chai’s spices; Madhur’s recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper, but feel free to experiment with other spices from your own cabinet. Masala chai is sweetened, and Madhur’s recipe uses one teaspoon of sugar per cup; double that amount for an even sweeter concoction. [__Jump to recipe__](masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey#2qC3EV30wSZpSJzl7Jd8DS).


Madhur Jaffrey’s Masala Chai Recipe

Masala chai (spiced tea) is a tea beverage with origins in the Indian subcontinent. Consisting of black tea, milk, a sweetener, and a range of aromatic spices, masala chai is integral to daily life in India. Though the word “chai” means tea, the drink is often referred to as "chai tea" or "chai latte" in the West, a nod to the steeping of the black tea and spices directly in the milk, which creates  a texture similar to the steamed milk used to make an espresso-based [latte](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-latte).  

Exact recipes for masala chai vary by household and location, with some calling for whole spices, and others preferring to use a ground spice blend, or a combination of both. This blend of spices is known as a karha, and in addition to ginger and cardamom, it may include everything from star anise and fennel seeds to cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla. Some blends may feature loose tea leaves, a granule-style tea known as Mamri.

Masala chai, a creamy, soothing South Asian beverage, is a heavenly combination of black tea, spices, sugar, and milk. You can customize the chai’s spices; Madhur’s recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper, but feel free to experiment with other spices from your own cabinet. Masala chai is sweetened, and Madhur’s recipe uses one teaspoon of sugar per cup; double that amount for an even sweeter concoction. [__Jump to recipe__](masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey#2qC3EV30wSZpSJzl7Jd8DS).


Masala chai (spiced tea) is a tea beverage with origins in the Indian subcontinent. Consisting of black tea, milk, a sweetener, and a range of aromatic spices, masala chai is integral to daily life in India. Though the word “chai” means tea, the drink is often referred to as &quot;chai tea&quot; or &quot;chai latte&quot; in the West, a nod to the steeping of the black tea and spices directly in the milk, which creates a texture similar to the steamed milk used to make an espresso-based <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-latte' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-latte","linkCopy":"latte","category":null}'>latte</a>. Exact recipes for masala chai vary by household and location, with some calling for whole spices, and others preferring to use a ground spice blend, or a combination of both. This blend of spices is known as a karha, and in addition to ginger and cardamom, it may include everything from star anise and fennel seeds to cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla. Some blends may feature loose tea leaves, a granule-style tea known as Mamri.

What Is Masala Chai?

Masala chai, a creamy, soothing South Asian beverage, is a heavenly combination of black tea, spices, sugar, and milk. You can customize the chai’s spices; Madhur’s recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper, but feel free to experiment with other spices from your own cabinet. Masala chai is sweetened, and Madhur’s recipe uses one teaspoon of sugar per cup; double that amount for an even sweeter concoction. <a href='masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey#2qC3EV30wSZpSJzl7Jd8DS' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey#2qC3EV30wSZpSJzl7Jd8DS","linkCopy":"\u003cstrong class=\"mc-text--bold\"\u003eJump to recipe\u003c/strong\u003e","category":null}'>Jump to recipe</a>.

Masala chai, a creamy, soothing South Asian beverage, is a heavenly combination of black tea, spices, sugar, and milk. You can customize the chai’s spices; Madhur’s recipe calls for a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and black pepper, but feel free to experiment with other spices from your own cabinet. Masala chai is sweetened, and Madhur’s recipe uses one teaspoon of sugar per cup; double that amount for an even sweeter concoction. Jump to recipe (masala-chai-recipe-by-madhur-jaffrey#2qC3EV30wSZpSJzl7Jd8DS).
