Chai1 min read
What Actually Goes Into Our Masala
Five spices, ground every morning, in proportions we argued about for a long time.
By The Desi Chai Team
Placeholder article copy for development. Most chai masala is bought pre-ground in bulk, which is fine, and also the reason most masala chai tastes broadly the same. We grind ours each morning because cardamom loses its oils within hours of being opened.
The five
- Green cardamom — the backbone, and the most expensive part of the blend
- Cinnamon — for sweetness that isn't sugar
- Clove — used sparingly; it takes over if you let it
- Black pepper — the warmth you feel afterwards rather than during
- Dry ginger — sharpness, and the reason the cup works in winter
The proportions are the part we spent the longest on. Too much clove and the cup turns medicinal. Too little pepper and it goes flat halfway down the glass.
“Spice should finish the cup, not announce itself at the start.”
If you want to taste the difference deliberately, order the Elaichi Chai next to the Signature Masala. Same tea, same milk — the blend is the only variable.
- #masala
- #spices
- #how we make it
