Follow my family recipe for homemade chai masala powder to make a comforting cup of Gujarati cha. You can make this mix in less than 5 minutes by grinding aromatic whole spices or with pre-prepared spice powders.
Put the kettle on love!
When I'm feeling fancy I'll prepare either a steaming cup of Kadak Chai (strong Qatari style tea), Cardamom Chai (tea with crushed cardamom) or Masala Chai (Indian tea with the addition of spices).
These teas are generally made with whole spices and fresh ingredients (fresh ginger) that have been pounded in a pestle and mortar.
Tea in Gujarati households however, is made a little differently. We do not use whole spices but rather use a powdered tea masala that is directly added with the tea leaves.
Every household will have their own recipe and unique combination of spices. You can easily purchase this tea masala but the beauty of homemade is that you can tailor it to suit your tastes.
It's this tea masala that we use daily when making our chai. It's so much quicker to prepare because we're not pounding a fresh batch of spices every time. The chai masala powder is boiled alongside tea and milk and optionally extra fresh ginger and sugar.
Typical Gujarati tea masala is made with ground cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger and black pepper only.
Ingredients for Gujarati Chai Masala Mix
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Follow this method if you are grinding down whole spices.
- Cinnamon bark
- Dry ginger powder - if you leave this out, use extra fresh ginger when preparing your cup of cha
- Green cardamom pods - you can use the seeds or the whole pod. I use the whole pod. Note, do not use black cardamom.
- Whole black peppercorns
- Whole cloves
Easy & Quick Chai Masala Powder
My Mum has always made chai masala powder by buying ready-made ground powders of each of the ingredients.
All you has to do is measure out the powders and simply mix together the blend of spices. Do this with a freshly bought packet of powder for better flavour.
How to make Homemade Chai Masala
Some recipes call to dry roast the spices first - I have not and do not find much difference in the taste.
I use a coffee grinder or spice grinder to grind down the whole spices until I achieve a fine powder. I do not sieve the masala as I will be sieving the tea.
Storage
Spice blends are best stored in an airtight container to increase their shelf life. Keep the container stored in a cupboard at room temperature away from moisture. The masala keeps well for a few months before loosing its potency.
How to make Gujarati Cha
Here is how to make a warming up of Gujarati style tea using your homemade masala chai spice mix.
- You will need a saucepan. To boiling water, add black tea leaves (or tea bags) and chai masala to extract the flavour. You do not need much chai masala - I use 0.5 teaspoon for 2 cups of tea but you can adjust this to suit your taste.
- You can also add more crushed fresh ginger and even holy basil (tulsi leaves) to the saucepan.
- Once the tea is boiling, pour in the milk and boil for a further minute.
- Optionally add sugar and continue to boil for a minute then switch off the heat.
- The tea must be sieved out prior to serving. Do not add the powder directly into a mug as it will make the tea grainy.
You can also use this as a chai spice in bakes and beverages.
Other Homemade Spice Powders
Mild Indian Curry Masala Powder
Kesar Badam Milk Masala (Doodh Masala Powder)
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Chai Masala Powder
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cardamom powder or green cardamom pods
- ¼ cup ginger powder
- ¼ cup cinnamon powder or three 2 inch bark
- â…› cup black pepper powder or black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon clove powder or cloves
Instructions
Easy Tea Masala
- Measure out the spice powders and simply mix together and store in a jar or airtight container.
Chai Masala Recipe using whole spices
- Measure out your whole spices and place in a spice grinder.
- Grind down to a fine powder and store.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Dennis says
I made a batch of your seasoning for a neighbor who loves Indian food and she said it was the best masala seasoning she ever tried.
Tammy says
Ooh I am very eager to try this! What a beautiful, cozy blend. This with warm milk sounds so comforting right now!
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Oh wow, what an incredible blend of aromatic spices and herbs! This sounds absolutely incredible and I can't wait to start creating with it!
Elaine says
I keep a big jar of this powder for many different recipes. But when I am out I usually hunt for a better recipe. Love your instructions - definitely on it whenever the jar gets empty next time!
Jessica says
This will be so nice to have on hand instead of having to buy at the store. I can just smell the warming spices now, can't wait!! My favorite is adding warm milk and just a little honey. I don't like it too sweet 🙂
Sean says
I haven't made chai masala in years and when I tried this recipe it was the best one I have ever tasted. It is such a comforting drink.
Enri says
I started making 1 tablespoon of the ingredients, instead 1/4 cup of each, combined everything and added to my Chai preparation. I have to say my chai was the best I've ever had. I'm ordering more spices. Love, love love this recipe!
Bernice says
There is so much great information in this post. I didn't realize that there was a ground chai variety as I always use whole spices in addition to black tea leaves in my chai. I can see where it would be very delicious no caffeine alternative.
Veronika says
Such an amazing aromatic blend of herbs! I can totally see myself using this blend in different thingswhen I want to avoid the caffeine from black tea but still want all the masala flavors!
Marta says
My daughter loves this chai masala powder. She adds it to her morning tea and says it tastes like a hug. Thanks for such an amazingly authentic recipe.