Since my first trip to India I’ve been constantly looking for the perfect Masala Chai. By now my search wasn’t that successful – at least when it comes to the european realms. If you order a “Masala Chai” in a Western restaurant all you would get is a teagbag dipped into a loveless mixture of hot water and milk – not very satisyfying if you know how a real Masala Chai tastes like.

But also when I came to Rishikesh I had to realize: There can be big differences in Chais and Masalas.

The term chai comes from the north chinese / cantonese word cha. That is why cultures which had been delivered with tea from China throughout the silk route (such as India, the Osmanic empire, Arabian countries and Russia) call the worldwide known beverage “Chai”.

Masala can be translated as mixture and since India has an enormous range of different spices it can be found on every single menu. No matter if you put it on a plate or in a teapot: Indias Masalas are produced in different ways depending on the regional or traditional context.

Masala Chai therefore is a spiced tea which is traditionally served with milk and sugar. During my second Yoga Teacher Training in North India I had the pleasure to convince an Indian friend of celebrating a tea ceremony. This recipy represents a simplified version of his Masala Chai – Indian, authentic AND sugarfree 😉

 

Ingredients:

 

• Water

• Milk

• 1 Piece Ginger

• Loose black tea

Masala:

#1

Grind the dry spices.

#2

Boil some water.

#3

Put the grounded spices into the hot water and let it boil for another 1-2 minutes.

#4

Put the loose tea into the mixture and let its texture become one with the spices aroma.

#5

Add as much milk as you like.

#6

Stir the milk while adding the rest of the grounded spices.

#7

Let everything simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

#8

Put some fresh grounded ginger in a pot.

#9

Strain the freshly scaled tea into the pot.

#10

Enjoy your Masala fresh & hot!