What’s up, tea lover? Finally, your love for chai has got you here. Winter is coming, and masala chai is the only thing that gets everyone going. It’s an emotion that you want to experience, but sometimes it ends up being too spicy or bland to take the next sip. You want to have slurp-worthy masala chai, but are all your attempts failing? Don’t worry, because you are about to learn how to make masala chai correctly. Here are seven tips you should follow to ace that perfect cup of tea.
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1. High-quality tea leaves
A damdaar cup of chai requires good-quality fresh tea leaves or tea bags specifically made for masala chai. Tea leaves kept in the open for a long time lose their aroma, resulting in a not so kadak chai.
2. Boil gently
The concept of overboiling the tea leaves to get a proper infusion with aromatic spices is not how you do it. In reality, it over extracts the tea, making it too bitter. So, you should simmer the tea gently without overboiling it.
3. Proper milk ratio
Refresh your physics lessons because you require precision here. Take an equal quantity of water and milk to balance out the taste; unless you like it too milky or too watery, no one’s judging. The most important tip here is to use boiled milk instead of raw milk to get a smooth texture.
4. Taaza ho le
Masala chai doesn’t feel like one until it hits the right spot and makes you feel alive again. You should use fresh spices to achieve the perfect cup of masala chai. Store the spices in airtight containers and grind them just before making the tea to get their essence.
5. Balanced masala
Do you like a strong masala chai or a bitter one? Because using a lot of cloves and cinnamon can ruin your so-called strong tea. Cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom are strong spices, so you must use the optimum amount to get the perfect aroma.
6. Timing is everything
Masala chai is all about getting things right. You should simmer the water with only spices first. Then, take the water off the stove, add tea leaves, and let them infuse for about four minutes. Similarly, add sugar at the end to maintain the desirable texture and colour of the tea.
7. Too sweet to be true
Don’t go heavy on the sugar as the excess will overpower the taste of the spices, and remember, you’re making masala chai; what is it without its spices?
Congratulations! You’re finally ready to serve heaven in a cup.
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