Essentials

Although basic masala chai may not at first appear amenable to daily making, if you have the right components on hand, it really is. While all of the topics below can be expounded greatly upon, I describe essentials to help you get started making a daily cup of chai.

Milk
Use anything from fat-free to whole milk.

Masala
This may be the most intimidating part of chai. Indeed, obtaining spices can be a barrier to making masala chai, but 1) non-masala (non-spiced) chai is delicious, and 2) if you make one trip to an international store you can pick up excellent spices that can last you over a year. Because most spices release their intense flavors when ground, it is best to purchase spices whole and grind them relatively fresh. Here are some tips for making your own masala:

• Buy green cardmom pods, black peppercorns and cinnamon sticks in whole form from an international store. Purchase enough whole spices to last you a year. Buy ginger powder also from the international store if you can, though many grocery stores carry it. Note to those in Philly: there is a great international/Indian store at 42nd Street & Walnut.
  
• Mix the spices in a roughly equal proportion by volume (use a little less cardamom since it is so potent). Mix enough spices to last you one month, keeping in mind you will use 1/2 tsp per cup of chai.
• Grind the spices in a dedicated spice grinder. A simple $15 coffee grinder works perfectly for this, but be sure to dedicate the grinder for spices unless you want chai masala-flavored coffee or vice-versa. Grind your masala as coarsely as possible, as this will help prevent flavorful oils from the seeds from leaching out until steeped with the tea.
• Keep ground spices in a jar in a cupboard since light, heat, and air are all detrimental to spice flavor.

Tea
While I haven't come across a 'bad' black tea for use in chai (including simple Lipton tea bags), I do recommend Lipton Yellow Label loose tea. You can find Yellow Label at international stores and perhaps even your local grocery store.











Strainer
A mug strainer is essential if you are using coarsely-ground masala and/or loose tea. You can purchase a mug strainer for ~$5 at any kitchen store. Be sure coarsely ground masala and curled tea leaves will not go through the strainer!











I hope these basic notes will help you share your own chai variations with all of us!

A special thanks to Shruti Mathur for helping with photography in this post.