Strong Masala Chai Recipe: Do you also feel that your morning is incomplete without a strong, aromatic cup of tea? If so, you are not alone. In the winter season, a perfect, piping-hot cup of tea in the morning keeps you feeling refreshed all day long and can even provide relief from colds and congestion. However, many people often complain that homemade masala chai lacks the same appeal as the tea served at roadside *dhabas*. Well, today we are here to solve that problem for good! We bring you an incredibly simple, homemade ‘chai masala’ (tea spice blend) recipe. Prepare it once, store it, and whenever the mood strikes, you can whip up a perfect, robust cup of masala chai in an instant. Let’s look at the complete preparation method.

How to prepare the *chai masala*:
Ingredients (for 24 cups of tea):
Green cardamom: 24 pods
Black peppercorns: 18
Fennel seeds: 1 teaspoon
Dried ginger powder (*sonth*): ½ teaspoon
Cinnamon powder: ¼ teaspoon

Preparation Method:
Place all these spices into a mixer or a small spice grinder and process them into a fine powder. Store this aromatic spice blend in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for months! Here is the perfect way to make 2 cups of strong tea—
Ingredients (for 2 cups):
Water: 1.5 cups
Milk: 0.5 cup
Tea leaves: 2 teaspoons (you can use any brand of your choice, such as Brooke Bond Red Label or Lipton Yellow Label)
Sugar: 2 teaspoons (adjust to taste)
Chai masala (tea spice blend): 0.5 teaspoon (or 1/8 teaspoon per cup)

Step-by-step preparation method:
Start by placing 1.5 cups of water and 0.5 cup of milk in a pan to boil. Add a quarter teaspoon of the prepared chai masala to the mixture so that the flavors of the spices infuse well into the liquid.

Once the milk and water come to a good boil, reduce the heat to low. Now, add your preferred tea leaves and sugar.

Partially cover the pan with a lid and let the tea simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. This allows the tea leaves to fully release their color and strength. That’s it! Simply strain the tea and serve it piping hot in cups.

A few special tips to make your tea even better:
- If you are making only 1 cup of tea, use just 1/8 teaspoon of the spice blend; otherwise, the flavor might become too overpowering.
- You can adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste. If you prefer tea sweetened with jaggery, you can use jaggery instead of sugar.
- For something a bit different, you can use this spice blend to make a ‘chai latte,’ which is incredibly creamy and delicious.
So, what are you waiting for? Prepare this special chai masala in your kitchen today and enjoy every sip with your family!

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