Masala Chai Mocktail Recipe
Black tea boiled with milk, sugar and warm spices until strong and fragrant — sweet, milky and gently peppery.
- Category: Mocktail
- Glass: Irish coffee mug
- ABV: 0%
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: ~4 min
- Alcohol-free: ✓
Ingredients
- Cold water120 ml (4.1 oz)
- Whole milk120 ml (4.1 oz)
- Strong black tea leaves (Assam)2 tsp
- Sugar2 tsp
- Fresh ginger slices3 piece
- Cardamom pods4 piece
- Cloves2 piece
- Cinnamon stick1 piece
- Black peppercorns2 piece
How to Make It
- Crush the ginger, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns lightly in a mortar.
- Bring the water and the crushed spices to the boil and simmer for two minutes.
- Add the tea leaves and boil for another minute, until the water turns deep red.
- Pour in the milk and the sugar and bring back to the boil, letting it rise and fall two or three times.
- Strain into a warmed mug and dust with ground cardamom.
Garnish
A pinch of ground cardamom
What it tastes like
There is a spiced warmth to it and the texture is creamy.
The technique
Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.
Glass and ice
A handled, thick-walled Irish coffee mug. Built for hot drinks: the handle protects your hand and the thick glass holds the heat. Warming it with hot water first noticeably changes the first sip.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Cold water
- Seeing it in a recipe is not a mistake: in spirit-forward drinks, measuring the dilution instead of leaving it to the ice is what makes the result repeatable.
- Sugar
- Granulated sugar. It dissolves badly in a cold drink, so either muddle it with a few drops of water first or turn it into syrup to begin with.
- Cinnamon stick
- A cinnamon stick is aroma, not decoration: it steeps in a hot drink, and in a cold one it is rubbed along the rim to leave its scent.
The Story
Boiling tea with milk, sugar and spices became an everyday habit across India in the twentieth century, as tea grown for export found a domestic market. Every chai wallah and every household keeps its own spice ratio.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Masala Chai mixed?
- It is built in the glass and served in an Irish coffee mug.
- Does a Masala Chai contain alcohol?
- No. It is safe to serve to children, to anyone pregnant, and to whoever is driving.
- Is a Masala Chai hard to make?
- Easy. No bar kit required — a measure, ice and a jar will do.
The main ingredient here is also a dream symbol: Milk in a dream
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.