Mark Bittman

Spiced Tea

Masala Chai

Preparation info
  • Makes

    4

    servings
    • Difficulty

      Easy

    • Ready in

      15 min

Appears in
The Best Recipes in the World: More Than 1,000 International Dishes to Cook at Home
The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

  • About

One of the national beverages of India, chai—often called masala chai—is simply sweetened tea with milk and spices. Which spices? Ah, there’s the question. I like a simple, minimal mix; other people use complicated spice mixtures; many would eliminate the fennel and use a mixture of cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons black tea, preferably Assam
  • 4 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
  • About

Method

  1. Brew the tea as usual, using 1 quart hot water and allowing to steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain. This may be done as far in advance as you like.
  2. Reheat the tea slowly and over low heat with the remaining ingredients. When it is very hot, strain again; taste and adjust