Drink like royalty with this aromatic kesar chai or zafrani chai - a rich milk tea with the addition of saffron. I love serving it when guests come over, during Indian festivals, or as part of an Indian afternoon tea with nankhatai and mithai. Ready in just 7 minutes!
Recipe Summary: Saffron Chai
- ✅ Recipe Name: Saffron Chai
- 🕒 Ready In: 7 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4 cups (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 104 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Milk, black tea, sugar, saffron
- 📖 Dietary Info: vegetarian
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This is not everyday masala chai. Kesar chai is more delicate, fragrant and special, with saffron as the main flavour.
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This Zafrani Chai is the chai I make when I want something a little more special than everyday masala chai. It is rich, milky and beautifully aromatic, with saffron simmered gently into the milk and cardamom boiled with strong black tea.
The flavour should be delicate enough to taste the saffron, but not weak. The tea still needs body, the milk should feel rich, and the sugar should gently bring out the saffron and cardamom.
For a stronger, full bodied tea try my karak chai. For a saffron drink without caffeine, you'll love my saffron milk (kesar doodh).
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What Makes This Saffron Chai Different
I simmer the saffron in the milk, not with the tea leaves. This lets the saffron bloom in the milk and stops the saffron strands being strained out.
Saffron Chai Ingredients
Saffron
I only use a small pinch of saffron. Too much saffron can taste overpowering, so keep it delicate.
Milk
This is a rich and milky chai so I like to use full fat milk. Of course, it can be made with semi skimmed or skimmed milk, just use a little less water to balance it out.
You can also follow the instructions from my doodh patti chai with is made with milk only.
Black tea
Loose Indian tea leaves give the best flavour. I usually buy these from Indian grocery stores.
If using tea bags, I find that PG Tips works well.
The tea should be strong enough to stand up to the milk, but not so strong that it hides the saffron.
Cardamom
Crushed cardamom pods are best, I use them in my elaichi chai. They give a fresher flavour than powder.
Homemade cardamom powder works too, but use it sparingly.
Sugar
Sugar is to taste - I use white sugar. I like this chai on the sweeter side because sweetness complements saffron and cardamom beautifully.
How to Make Zafrani Chai
- Step 1: Combine milk and saffron in a saucepan.
- Step 2: Allow the milk to boil for approx 5 minutes and the saffron to steep.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, separately boil the tea, crushed cardamom in water for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 4: Strain the brewed tea into the saffron milk.
- Step 5: Add the sugar.
- Step 6: Simmer for another 2 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Kesar chai is versatile and can be served with sweet or savoury dishes.
When I'm serving to guests for special occasions, I usually go for a selection of Indian fusion sweets. Traditional Diwali sweets like melt in the mouth suwari, sweet satta (thor) and sugar coated shakkarpara pair wonderfully too.
It works beautifully with savoury snacks like Gujarati farsi puri.
See my full selection of Diwali sweets and snacks for more inspiration.
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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📖 Recipe
Kesar Chai (Saffron Milk Tea)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons black tea loose leaf
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 5 pods green cardamom crushed
Instructions
- Gently boil 2 cups milk and 1 pinch saffron strands in a saucepan for about 5 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent the milk sticking.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan, boil 2 tablespoons black tea, 5 pods green cardamom (crushed) in 2 cups water for approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Strain the brewed tea into the milk.
- Add 2 tablespoons sugar and simmer for a further 2 minutes then serve.
Video
Notes
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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Hayley Dhanecha says
I simmer the saffron in the milk rather than with the tea leaves so the strands stay in the chai and flavour the milk properly. It makes this kesar chai rich, milky and beautifully aromatic.