Karak or Masala Chai
Masala Chai, or what is more commonly known as, Karak Chai, is a delicious tea, consumed in the Middle East. The mix of cinnamon and spices gives such an amazing taste, you'll be asking for seconds and thirds!
Karak Chai for me, has a whole story of its own, a personal touch, that I absolutely love! It all came about a few years ago, when I was invited to a girly tea party and one of the girls came with a flask of her homemade Karak. At this point, I had heard of Karak and knew of a shop opposite Harrods that sell it, but I never actually had the chance to buy some myself.
As soon as the flask was open, and the first tea cup was filled, the smell of flavours that filled the room were absolutely mesmerizing! I couldn't get over the aroma smell of Saffron which I can still smell to this day.
It was genius, an absolute winner! The only ingredients I got that day were tea, saffron, sugar and milk, but through research, asking friends who have travelled, trying different things, I have ended up with the perfect recipe I have today and I wouldn't change it for the world! :)
The combination of spices that make up your Karak Chai are just right! Enough to make a comforting, delicious, and warming tea, perfect with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Packed with such delicious flavours!
How to get your perfect Karak Chai?
One of the biggest things i've learnt is that pretty much everything in the ingredients list to make your Karak or Masala Chai is, to taste. Play around with the spices, the level of sweetness and the ratio of water to milk to reach the perfect karaoke for your tastebuds!
I personally used to make my Karak Chai with full fat milk all the time, but i've always felt it was missing something and wasn't exactly what I wanted. Somebody suggested using condensed milk, and when I tried that today, for the last time before posting the full recipe, I loved how amazing it turned out!
Changes you can make to your Karak Chai
As you can see, in the recipe below, there is no sugar because condensed milk is very sweet. I do suggest that when trying out the recipe, use half a cup as I did, then adjust the sweetness accordingly.
Another big and crucial change I made, was the length of time I allowed everything to brew. The longer it brewed, the thicker and more delicious it became! You can just feel the explosion of flavours becoming more intense and aromatic. Not only does this make your Karak Chai taste nicer, but oh, the smell! The smell of your delicious chai takes over your whole house!
This Karak or Masala Chai recipe is my go-to, especially during Ramadan. After eftar, a nice cup of chai is what your body is calling out for, a time to relax, wind down and refresh with a mixture of flavours tingling your tastebuds!
Sweet Karak Chai to your taste
Ingredients
What you need to make your Karak Chai:
- Teabags or lose tea
- Cloves
- Cardamom Pods
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Crushed ginger
- Water
- Milk
- Condensed Milk
- Saffron
Step by Step
Start by putting everything in a small pot, apart from the milk.
Let everything boil on low heat for 30 minutes, until you can see the tea becoming strong, almost black. Boiling everything for as long as I did really enhanced the flavour!
Add the milk and boil for another 10 minutes on low heat, before draining the tea through a drainer, to get all the tea leaves and spices out.
Serve up and enjoy :)
A mix of ingredients to your taste
Why choose Karak Chai?
Karak Chai is so versatile and can be made in so many different ways. It's hard to get the perfect combination, but whichever way you choose to make it, you will get such a delicious Chai you'll want to make again and again!
It is packed with such comforting flavours, both sweet with a hint of spice, to suit your every mood.
What I love about Karak Chai is that it works perfectly with anything sweet, from simple plain biscuits to delicious cream filled desserts like my Classic Tiramisu Recipe or my Homemade Gluten-Free Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars. You can drink your Karak or Masala Chai with anything you have at home!
Chai spices have been become very popular and are commonly found all over the world. So many types of drinks and foods relate to Chai now, such as Chai Latte or Chai spiced cakes and cookies. A delicious blend of spice in everything you eat!
The spices used to make your Karak Chai have such great health benefits and boost your immune system! Taste and health, what's not to like!?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I store any leftover Karak?
When can I drink my Karak Chai?
Can I substitute the milk with any other alternatives?
Other recipes to try
A simple step by step method to making the most delicious Karak Chai, tried and tested for perfection.
- 5 Teabags (or 4 teaspoons of lose tea)
- 7-8 Cloves
- 6-7 Cardamom Pods
- 3 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1/2 tsp crushed Ginger (or 4 small chunks)
- 4 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Condensed Milk
- Pinch of Saffron
Start by putting everything in a small pot, apart from the milk.
Let everything boil on low heat for 30 minutes, until you can see the tea becoming strong, almost black. Boiling everything for as long as I did really enhanced the flavour!
Add the milk and boil for another 10 minutes on low heat, before draining the tea through a drainer, to get all the tea leaves and spices out.
Serve up and enjoy :)
I'm Nelly, the recipes I share here are inspired by the people, cultures and places beloved to me. Peanutswirls represents my love for food, cooking and hosting. I hope to share with you a taste of the Middle East influnced by my upbringing in the West.
I can't wait to see what we cook together.
