Chai ka Masala Recipe
Chai Ka Masala (also known as Masala Tea Powder, Masala Chai Spice Mix, Chai Masala, or Tea Masala) is an Indian spice blend made from whole spices, dried rose petals, and fennel seeds. It is added to Indian milk tea (Masala Chai) to make it stronger and more flavorful. Here is how to make chai ka masala recipe at home (vegan, gluten-free).
Here are some more homemade spice mixes that you may enjoy: Chaat Masala, Sambar Powder, Roasted Cumin Powder, Thandai Powder, and Kerala Garam Masala Powder.
Table of Contents
A Quick Look At This Chai Ka Masala Recipe
- Flavor Profile: Warm, aromatic, and comforting.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes | Cook Time: 2 minutes | Total Time: 4 minutes
- Makes: About ½ cup (enough for 20-25 cups of chai)
- Course: Condiment / Spice Mix
- Cuisine: Indian
- Skill Level: Easy
- Diet: Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Equipment: Spice Grinder or Blender, Airtight Jar
- Why You’ll Love It: Freshly ground, preservative-free, and bursting with authentic flavor — this homemade chai masala turns every cup of tea into a cozy, soul-warming experience you’ll look forward to every morning.
I am more of a tea person than a coffee person. My morning starts with a cup of green tea, but I also enjoy sipping a hot cup of masala chai with my breakfast. My masala chai is also famous among my friends, and I give all the credit to the homemade chai masala powder that I freshly grind every few days.
About Chai ka Masala
Chai ka Masala, also known as Masala Chai Spice Mix, Indian Masala Tea Powder, Tea Masala, or Chai Masala Powder, is an aromatic blend of whole spices that adds a refreshing and robust flavor to Indian milk tea.
Chai in India is almost a religion, and people run on chai here. Each household has its own unique recipe for making chai and chai masala. Some people make it with ginger (Ginger Chai) and others with lemongrass (Lemongrass Chai). There is also a Tandoori Chai version, which is quite popular.
Although I like these variations, my favorite is the simple Masala Chai, made using homemade chai ka masala.
These days, you can find ready-made masala chai mixes in grocery stores, but there is nothing like a masala chai made with a homemade masala tea mix, freshly ground at home using high-quality ingredients. Believe me, the flavor of homemade chai masala is much better than the store-bought one.
Homemade masala tea powder is made with high-quality ingredients, free from adulteration, and can be tailored to suit your specific needs. Making it at home is also more economical.
In this post, I am sharing my recipe for chai masala powder, which I have been making for ages. I use dry rose petals in my recipe, which is my secret ingredient, and it gives this chai masala powder a very unique flavor. You have to try it for yourself to believe how much of a difference a good chai masala can make to the taste of tea. Here is the recipe.
This tea masala recipe can be easily doubled or tripled as per your requirements.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients to make this chai ka masala recipe in Indian grocery stores or on online portals like Amazon.
Whole Spices – You will need cloves (laung), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), cinnamon (dalchini), and black peppercorns (kali mirch).
Others – You will also need dried rose petals, fennel seeds (saunf), dry ginger powder (saunth), and nutmeg powder.
How To Make Chai Masala Powder Recipe – Step By Step
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or food processor.
- 0.9 oz (25 g) whole cloves (laung)
- 0.9 oz (25 g) whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 0.9 oz (25 g) whole cinnamon sticks (crushed) (dalchini)
- 0.9 oz (25 g) whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 0.07 oz (2 g) dried rose petals
- 0.5 oz (15 g) fennel seeds (sauf)
- 0.35 oz (10 g) dry ginger powder (saunth)
- 1 nutmeg (crushed) (jaiphal)
Step 2: Grind to make a coarse powder.
Note: It is essential to coarsely grind the spices. If the powder is fine, it will seep into the tea and enter your mouth while you sip it.
Step 3: Store the chai masala in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Use ยฝ teaspoon chai masala per cup of masala chai.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, chai ka masala and garam masala are not the same. Both of these spice mixes are made using Indian whole spices, but the selection and quantity of spices differ.
It is warming, aromatic, and spiced, similar to gingerbread or Pumpkin Pie Spice with sweet floral notes from green cardamom, rose petals, and fennel seeds.
If you add too much chai masala, the chai can turn bitter. Bitterness can also occur if the tea is boiled for too long.
Pro Tips By Neha
Do not grind the spices to a fine powder. When the ground is too fine, the spices tend to seep through into the tea even after straining.
Make a batch of chai spice mix that’s good enough to last 15 days for optimal flavor.
Store this masala tea powder in an airtight jar and use a clean, dry spoon to take it out.
Use ยฝ tsp of this chai ka masala per cup of tea. If you like your tea stronger, you can increase the quantity.
Dry roast the aromatic spices before grinding for a more robust masala.
Follow the exact measurements mentioned in the recipe to make the best chai masala powder. You can reduce the amount of pepper if you prefer a less peppery and hotter tea.
You can skip adding any of the mentioned ingredients if they are not available or if you are not fond of them.
Variations
Lemongrass – Add 10 grams of dried lemongrass to your chai ka masala recipe for a soothing taste.
Dried Tulsi Leaves – Tulsi leaves (also known as holy basil) offer numerous benefits and have a pleasant taste in chai. Add 10 grams of dried tulsi leaves to your tea masala powder. Tulsi seeds can also be added.
Saffron – Adding a pinch of saffron strands to tea masala will make your chai even more special.
Others – You can also add a star anise to this spice blend.
Usage Suggestions
To use chai ka masala, add ยฝ teaspoon per cup of masala tea. If you like your tea stronger, you can increase the quantity. Check out my Masala Chai recipe here.
In addition to chai, you can also add this chai masala to give your desserts an interesting twist, such as custard, panna cotta, ice cream, cakes, pies, tarts, and cinnamon rolls.
Storage Suggestions
This masala chai spice mix will last approximately 2 months when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, preferably in a cool, dark place.
For the best flavor, try to use it within 15 days, as the spices will lose some of their fragrance over time.
Always use a clean and dry spoon to take out the chai spice mix. Using a wet spoon will decrease its shelf life.
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Chai ka Masala Recipe (Indian Masala Tea Powder)
Equipment
- Grinder or Food Processor
Ingredients
- 0.9 ounce whole cloves (laung) (25 g)
- 0.9 ounce whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi) (25 g)
- 0.9 ounce whole cinnamon sticks (dalchini) (25 g, crushed)
- 0.9 ounce whole black peppercorns (kali mirch) (25 g)
- 0.07 ounce dried rose petals (2 g)
- 0.5 ounce fennel seeds (saunf) (15 g)
- 0.35 ounce dry ginger powder (saunth) (10 g)
- 1 whole nutmeg (jaiphal) (crushed)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or food processor.
- Grind to make a coarse powder.
- Store the masala tea powder in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Use ½ teaspoon masala chai mix per cup of masala chai.
I wouldn’t need a whole bunch of whole nutmeg. Would powdered work, and how much? Same question with the cardamom. If I really love this, then ordering the whole ingredients wouldn’t bother me. Thank you!
Yes, Sure, You can use powdered ingredients for the first time. The only challenge is the already powdered ingredients are very fine and they might seep into the tea. But that is totally fine for a trial. Use 1 tsp of nutmeg powder and 20 g of cardamom powder.
This is incredibly fragrant and has a great taste. Love it. I went with half the peppercorns and half with nutmeg as I was afraid my husband would find that too strong. He, too, loves it. Thanks for the recipe, Neha!!
Nice ๐
Hi, I like ur authentic tea masala Powder. My morning tea is now become good and I like that rose petals in masala , something new for me.
Thnx ๐
How come no cinnamon in chai masala ?
It is there. Do go through it once more ๐
Thank you! So good and authentic. I use rose Tulsi herbal tea for the rose petals. So much better than liquid concentrate products in the US which have little to no flavor and too much sweeteners. Thanks again.
Hi Jessica, Thnx for trying the recipe. This is one of my fav recipes and it’s very economical too.
A best to store recipe…rose petals addition is new to me..
for a tea addict like me, this is a good recipe!