Hands down, chai is easily the most-loved beverage of India. From the streets to swanky cafes, chai proudly finds a spot on every menu. No friends/family get-together or workplace meeting is complete without a cuppa. Chai really brings people together!

Given India’s diversity, we have a whole array of tea on offer, each variety representing local tastes and preferences of a certain area. From Himalayan Butter Tea to Hyderabad's dessert-like Irani Chai, the many types of Indian tea are truly surprising.

The most ubiquitous is Masala Chai, which gained worldwide popularity, becoming the second-best non-alcoholic beverage of 2023, after the Mexican fruit drink Aguas Frescas, according to online food guide TasteAtlas.com.

In honour of our adulation of chai, we present six singularly awesome tea recipes commonly found in India.

Masala Chai

As integral part of most of our daily routines, Masala Chai is not just a beverage in Indian households. It’s an emotion. Mornings only begin when the sweet aroma of brewing tea leaves and spices fills the home. Serve hot with flaky khari biscuits (puffs) or crunchy rusks, or have it unaccompanied. Masala Chai is all about feeling good.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 whole green elaichi or cardamom
• 1 lavang or clove
• ½-inch stick dalcheeni or cinnamon
• ½-inch piece ginger, crushed
• 2 tsp loose strong black tea leaves
• Sugar to taste, about 3 tbsp

Method:

• Crush all the spices to coarse powder in a mortar and pestle.
  Add water along with the loose tea, spices, ginger in saucepan.
  Bring it to boil over medium heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
  Add the milk and the sugar.
  Let it boil for 5 minutes more.
• Strain into cups and serve hot, hot, hot, hot.

Kahwa

A classic beverage from Kashmir, Kahwa is a soothing blend of green tea and an aromatic mix of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and saffron. It is traditionally prepared in a Kashmiri-style brass kettle or samovar and the tea is typically served with crushed nuts, like almonds or walnuts, and sugar or honey or gulkand (rose petals preserve). Sip it on cold winter days. Have it with sheermal roti (Kashmiri bread), if you are feeling more indulgent. Kahwa is a definite mood lifter.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• ½-inch stick dalcheeni or cinnamon
• 2 whole green elaichi or cardamom
• 2 lavang or cloves
• 6-8 strands kesar or saffron
• 5-6 dried rose petals
• 4-5 almonds, crushed
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp green tea leaves

Method

• Bring the water to boil in a saucepan over high heat.
• Crush the spices in a mortar and pestle and add the spice mix into boiling water.
  Then add the rose petals, sugar.
  Take off heat and add the green tea leaves to it.
  Cover and let it brew for 2 minutes.
  Pour the tea into cups using a strainer.
  Add 3-4 saffron strands and the crushed almonds in each cup.
  Serve hot.

Noon Chai

Another delightful beverage from Kashmir is Noon Chai. It literally means salt tea in the local language. The unusual flavour profile of this chai can be overwhelming, since it is salty when you might expect it to be sweet. It uses green tea leaves, which are boiled with a pinch of baking soda. The soda gives it a red hue. Milk and salt are then added and that turns it pink. This is the reason Noon Chai is commonly called Pink Tea. Similar to Kahwa, it is also brewed in a samovar.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tsp green tea leaves
• ½ tsp baking soda or sodium bicarbonate
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp green elaichi or green cardamom seed powder

Method

• Boil water in a saucepan over high heat and add tea leaves.
  Let it brew for 5 minutes.
  Add the baking soda and whisk vigorously for a few seconds.
  Brew till the tea turns bright red.
  Add in the cardamom powder.
  Now add in the milk and whisk vigorously.
  Let it simmer until the colour of the tea turns dark pink.
  Now add the salt and stir well.
  Serve hot.

Himalayan Butter Tea

A much adored brew in the Himalayan regions of India, Butter Tea is a traditional blend of tea, butter, and salt. Much like Noon Chai, this tea is also an acquired taste because of its hatke (unusual) flavour. The more authentic Butter Tea has yak butter in it and a rich, creamy texture as a result, while being mildly salty and buttery. The tea is relished by local communities of Sikkim, Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti and other Himalayan places as a way to combat the cold weather and high altitude sickness.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup full fat milk
• 2 tsp plain black tea
• Salt to taste, about ¼ tsp
• 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)

Method

• In a saucepan bring the water to a boil over high heat.
  Lower the heat, add the tea leaves into the water and continue to boil for a minute or 2.
  Strain the tea.
  Now combine the tea, with the salt, butter, milk.
  Blend or shake the mixture for 4-5 minutes till smooth.
  Serve hot.

Lebu Cha

Every chai lover would love Kolkata’s street fave -- Lebu Cha or lemon tea. It's a glittering brownish-golden colour and its own intriguingly different combination of spices, with lemon, would have any chai lover smitten. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 pieces Hajmola, an Indian digestive
• ½ tsp jaljira multi-spice powder
• ¼ tsp black salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp orange pekoe tea
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Method

• Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
  Take off heat and add the tea leaves.
  Cover and let it rest for a minute.
• In meantime, blend the Hajmola, jaljira, salt, sugar to fine powder in a mixer.
• Add 2 tsp of the ground mixture to chai glasses or cups and store the rest of the powder for future use.
  Add in the lemon juice in it.
  Strain.
  Serve hot.

Hyderabadi Irani Chai

One sip of Irani chai and you realise this tea will take your tastebuds for wild ride. That’s because Irani chai, also referred to as Hyderabadi Dum Chai, has the khoya or milk concentrate added to the black tea which makes for its signature creamy texture and rather milky taste. Pair this royal cup of chai with Osmania biscuits or soft jam-maska bun for a delightful afternoon tea break.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 cups full-fat milk
• 4 cups water
• 4 tbsp khoya or milk solids
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp CTC tea powder

Method

• In a saucepan, bring the water to boil with the tea powder over medium heat.
  Boil the tea for about 15 minutes on medium heat until the decoction is reduced to half.
  Keep aside.
• In another saucepan, boil the  milk and the sugar over low heat till reduced to half.
  Add in the khoya.
  Simmer further till the khoya combines well with the milk.
• Now add the tea decoction to milk mixture and give it a gentle stir.
  Serve hot.