CHAI MASALA POWDER/ MASALA TEA POWDER

 Indian chai or tea is a common beverage for us. We start our day with a blend of ginger-mint tea or cardamom-ginger tea. If you like masala tea then this is must try for you as the spice powder is handy so making masala tea is very easy. Chai Masala is an Indian aromatic spice mix mainly used to flavor the milk tea (chai). This masala tea powder is a dry, ready-to-use, gluten-free and vegan spice powder. The main ingredients in this chai masala powder is dry ginger also known as saunth or soonth. It has a long shelf life due to its dry nature and hence once prepared, it can be stored and used for months. This spiced masala powder to be boiled with tea powder. It gives a nice aroma and delicious taste to normal milk tea.  If you make the masala tea powder, then you don’t have to add any spices to the tea while making it, unless you want a strong hint and taste of a particular spice. 

INGREDIENTS :

2 tablespoon Saunf / Fennel Seeds

10-12 Kali Mirch/ Black Peppercorns

1 tablespoon Laung/ Cloves

10-15 Elaichi/ Green Cardamom

1/2 inch Dalchini/ Cinnamon Stick

1/2 tablespoon Sunth/ Dry Ginger Powder or 1/4 Cup Dried Ginger (saunth)  (see notes)

1/2 Jayfal/ Nutmeg

Pinch of Salt

METHOD :

STEP 1 -  Gather all the ingredients listed above in the ingredient table.

STEP 2 - Heat a pan on low heat.

STEP 3 - Dry roast all the ingredients one by one on a very low heat.

STEP 4 - Transfer to a plate and let them cool completely.

STEP 5 - Now put them in a  mixer pot and grind it until it turns a medium coarse powder. 

STEP 6 -  If needed, sieve it using a strainer to remove the fibers of dried ginger if any.

Chai/ Tea Masala Powder is ready. 

STEP 7 - Store in a clean air tight container for up to a year and use it to make addictive masala chai/tea whenever you want.

NOTE : * Use 1/4 th teaspoon tea masala powder to make 2 cups masala chai.

              * You can multiply the quantity of ingredients to make a bigger batch of chai masala.

                      * I have used 1/4 cup dried ginger as I don't have ginger powder. You can use whatever you have. Or you can make dry ginger powder by blending dried ginger in a mixer pot.