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    Home » Cuisine » Indian

    Easy Homemade Chai Masala Powder

    November 13, 2020 . By Meeta Arora . 83 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Whole spices in small white bowls

    Homemade Chai Masala or Tea Masala is an aromatic blend of whole spices which makes Indian tea flavorful. Add this to your Masala Chai to make the perfect fragrant tea.

    Chai Masala powder along with chai and whole spices

    I love to start my morning with a cup of kadak chai (strong tea). It is a tradition, a culture to have tea first thing in the morning in most parts of India.

    Similar to the Garam Masala spice blend, every home has their own secret recipe to make chai and chai masala. All include the same ingredients - milk, sugar, tea leaves. Some enjoy Ginger Tea with lots of ginger, some Cardamom Tea with green cardamom pods and some Masala Chai, which has chai masala, a blend of whole spices added to it.

    My favorite is Masala Chai. To enjoy a perfect Masala Chai, you definitely need a good Chai Masala Powder recipe. So here I share the detailed recipe to make the best homemade tea masala.

    I like to make Chai Masala and store it in an air tight container and add a little to my tea. However it is best to not make too much chai masala at once. Having freshly made chai masala definitely enhances the flavor. I like to just make enough to use it up in a couple of weeks. It is very easy to make and hardly takes any time. This is also the reason I prefer to not buy chai masala from the store.

    Add some fresh ginger, some chai masala and there you have the perfect cup of tea!

    What is Chai Masala?

    Chai ka Masala is a blend of whole spices, fennel seeds and ginger powder which added to Indian tea makes it much more flavorful. It adds a very unique flavor to the tea and also enhances the health benefits with the warming whole spices.

    What are ingredients for Chai masala?

    Here are the ingredients I usually add to Chai Masala and the benefits they provide:

    • Cloves (Laung): Cloves have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory  properties. They add depth and an earthy tone to the chai.
    • Green Cardamom (Elaichi): Cardamom has antioxidants and cancer fighting compounds. It adds fragrance and subtle sweetness to chai.
    • Black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch): Black peppers have anti-inflammatory properties, helps with digestion and nutrient absorption. They add a little spice kick to the chai.
    • Fennel seeds (Saunf): Fennel helps with healthy digestion and have a calming effect. They add a cooling subtle taste to tea.
    • Cinnamon (Dalchini): Cinnamon has powerful medicinal properties such as lowering risk of diabetes, regulating blood sugar, and many more. It adds natural sweetness and warmth to tea.
    • Dried Ginger Powder (Sonth): Ginger helps reduce inflammation and improves digestion and immunity against flu & cold. It adds a subtle spice kick and warmth to chai.
    • Nutmeg (Jaiphal): Nutmeg has the ability to relieve pain, improve indigestion and blood circulation. It adds a slightly sweet as well as warm flavor to the chai.

    I did not add dry rose petals or tulsi (holy basil) to the chai masala. But if you have them available, you can add those too. You can also add tulsi while making chai.

    Whole spices in small white bowls

    How to make Chai Masala Powder?

    Mix all the chai masala ingredients (except nutmeg) in a blender and blend to make a coarse powder. Grate nutmeg using a fine grater.

    Store the chai masala in an airtight container and always use a clean, dry spoon when using it.

    Chai Masala Spice Mix in a white bowl and spoon along with some whole spices

    How to use Chai Masala?

    Add ¼ tsp of masala per cup of masala tea. You can also add ginger and tulsi leaves along with this masala when preparing Masala Chai.

    Two cups of tea with toast on the side

    Enjoy this easy homemade Chai Masala to make your everyday tea! 

    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Chai Masala Spice Mix in a white bowl and spoon along with some whole spices

    Chai Masala Powder Recipe

    Meeta Arora
    Homemade Chai Masala is an aromatic blend of whole spices which makes Indian tea flavorful. Add this to your Masala Chai to make the perfect fragrant tea.
    4.77 from 106 votes
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Calories: 82
    Course: Spice Blend
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
    Method: Blender/Food Processor
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 0 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ¼ cup Cloves (Laung)
    • ¼ cup Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
    • ¼ cup Black Peppercorns
    • 1 tablespoon Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
    • 6 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)
    • 2 tablespoon Ginger powder
    • 1 Nutmeg  grated
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    Instructions
     

    • Mix all the ingredients (except Nutmeg) in a blender and blend to make a coarse powder. Grate the nutmeg in the powder.
    • Store in an airtight container for up to a month.
    • Use ¼ tsp of this powder for each cup of Indian masala chai.

    Notes

    Freshness & Flavor: it is best to not make too much chai masala at once. Having freshly made chai masala definitely enhances the flavor.

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 9mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 7gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 141mgIron: 3.6mg
    Keyword chai ka masala, Chai Masala powder, homemade tea masala
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. chen says

      February 28, 2023 at 6:03 am

      how long is the shelfl-ife Madam ? If we wish to add rose petal, may i know the measurement please and do we have to roast it together ?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        March 09, 2023 at 2:24 pm

        Hi Chen - You can store it for up to a month. You can try with 1/4 cup of dried rose petals. No need to roast the rose petals.

        Reply
    2. Abah says

      February 26, 2023 at 12:53 pm

      It is really tasty and healthy

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        February 27, 2023 at 11:43 am

        Hi Abah - Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nadine Watts says

      January 05, 2023 at 9:58 pm

      Excited to try this chai tea recipe
      My favorite tea!

      Reply
    4. V S Rawat says

      December 23, 2022 at 2:22 am

      incomplete.
      What is meant by 1/4 cup or 1 teaspoon. We cannot go to grocery shop and and ask him to give us 1/4 cup or 1 teaspoon this and that. Specific weight in gms or count of pieces (say elaichi) should have been mentioned.

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        January 04, 2023 at 11:54 am

        Hello, you can get the measurements in grams by clicking on metric in the recipe card. Hope you enjoy the chai masala.

        Reply
    5. Liz says

      October 27, 2022 at 6:03 pm

      We made a big batch of this last year and are about to make some more. So delicious - especially when you follow the instructions to brew the tea (also found on this site).
      Question about grinding all of your ingredients - we don't have a blender so ground everything by hand using a microplane, but the cinnamon stick dulled it completely! What kind of blender are you using? do you need to sharpen your blades often?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        November 02, 2022 at 2:18 pm

        Hi Liz - so glad that you are planning to make the chai masala again. I use a spice grinder to make this chai masala. Here is an aff link to it - https://amzn.to/3UmuLP8

        Reply
    6. Mahesh says

      October 20, 2022 at 11:07 am

      Thanks for sharing this and your Pakora recipes.
      I will be trying these out.
      Reminds me of my late mother who had a lively kitchen preparing all these delicious foods and snacks.

      Reply
    7. Rachel says

      October 06, 2022 at 5:43 am

      hi what can i do if i do not get nutmeg ?
      Is there any ingredient that can be replaced for nutmeg

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        October 16, 2022 at 8:30 am

        Hi Rachel, it is okay. You can skip nutmeg too, and the chai masala will still be good. Just as a tip - I have seen nutmeg powder at Trader joes if you have one nearby.

        Reply
    8. irfan says

      August 20, 2022 at 4:02 am

      great taste

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        August 25, 2022 at 11:00 am

        Hi Irfan - Thank you 🙂

        Reply
    9. Mira says

      August 15, 2022 at 5:31 am

      Is this tea masala strong and spicy as thats how i like mine

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        September 03, 2022 at 12:00 am

        Hi Mira - yes, I do believe it has a nice strong flavor. Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    10. Sarah says

      July 04, 2022 at 1:14 pm

      Eager to try this recipe! A few questions though:

      1) When you say 1/4 cup green cardamom, is that including the husks, or is it 1/4 cup cardamom seeds. If the husks are included, are they ground up into the mix?

      2) Is it possible to use powered cinnamon instead of a 6" cinnamon stick? If so, how much powered cinnamon is equivalent to a 6" cinnamon stick?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        July 05, 2022 at 8:52 am

        Hi Sarah - Sure, the 1/4 cup is for the cardamom pods (including the husk). You can grind with the husk.
        For the cinnamon, I see that 1 stick cinnamon is usually translated to 1/2 teaspoon powdered. So I would say go for 2 teaspoon initially, and then add more to your taste.

        Reply
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