The traditional Indian drink masala is known as “tea with a blend of spices” (that’s the literal translation from Hindi). The process involves brewing masala spices with tea, , and sugar, then boiling and straining the mixture. Typically, Indians use local black from Assam or Ceylon for this beverage.
Ingredients: 200 ml milk, 100 ml water; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1 teaspoon black tea; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger; a pinch of cardamom seeds or powder; 1-2 whole cloves; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or a stick).
Preparation
This masala tea recipe does not require boiling. Place a pot with milk and water over low heat. Toast the spices in a dry skillet for 20 seconds to release their aroma.
Combine the spices, , and tea with the slightly warmed milk and water, and simmer on low heat for 2 minutes.
The spices should “sweat,” but we won’t bring the mixture to a boil—remove the prepared drink from the heat before it starts boiling. Preheat cups with boiling water and immediately pour the masala tea through a strainer into them.
Life Hack
A simpler way to prepare masala is to boil the mixture of milk, water, loose tea, sugar, and spices, then strain out the solid components before serving. Masala tea recipes can vary: some bring the pre-mixed ingredients to a boil, strain immediately, and serve; others allow the components to simmer on low heat before filtering; some boil only the tea leaves, adding spices at the end, or vice versa.
Photo: Openverse
