Starter recipe · Text-only editorial template
Masala Chai, Batch Logic
A scalable chai template for mornings and guests — proportions first, preferences next.
- chai
- beverage
- technique
Masala chai is tea, milk, sugar, and a few spices boiled together. There isn't one correct formula. Some kitchens crush more ginger; others want mostly cardamom. This page is about proportions you can scale without thinking too hard.
A working ratio
Equal parts water and milk is a common starting point for a milky cup — for two cups, that is 1 cup water, 1 cup milk, and about 2 teaspoons CTC or Assam. Keep spices in a workable range (½–1 inch ginger, a few cracked cardamom pods); you can always simmer longer. Crush ginger so it releases; crack cardamom rather than grinding it to powder. Start with 1–2 teaspoons sugar and adjust in the cup.
Scaling for guests
Double the batch and keep the same order: spice the water first, then tea, then milk and sugar. Pull it before a hard boil-over if your pot is small. Strain into cups; leftover spice grit in the cup is normal if you skip the strainer.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Serves
- 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cupwater
- 1 cupwhole milk
- 2 tspAssam or CTC black tea — loose; or 2 tea bags
- ½–1 inchfresh ginger — crushed or thinly sliced; use the smaller end for milder chai
- 3–4green cardamom pods — lightly cracked
- 1–2 tspsugar — start here; add more after tasting
Method
- Simmer water with ginger and cardamom for 3–4 minutes so the spices perfume the water.
- Add tea; simmer 1–2 minutes until the liquid turns deep amber (longer gets bitter).
- Add milk and sugar. Return to a gentle rolling simmer — let it rise once or twice — then pull from heat before it boils over.
- Strain into cups and taste; add a pinch more sugar if needed.