Karak Chai
Karak chai is a strong, creamy, aromatic, and incredibly delicious Indian tea! Once you have some Chai Karak and enjoy its smooth texture, I’m sure you’ll want to have it every single day.
Popularly known as “chai,” Indian tea is a staple drink in Indian households, but it’s also popular in my country United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other Gulf countries. While the recipe may seem simple, it is the unique combination of spices and the precise brewing process that makes Indian tea an experience like no other.
With my recipe, you’ll be able to get the perfect cup of Indian strong tea wherever you are in the world.
Be it Winter or Summer, people enjoy karak chai, and there are other warm drinks that you should try, like Golden Milk and Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Why Make Indian Tea
- Easy: This recipe is incredibly easy to make, requiring just a few ingredients and simple steps.
- Versatile: Karak chai recipe be adapted to suit individual taste preferences, allowing for variations in sweetness, strength, and spice level.
- Delicious: This Indian tea recipe is simply delicious, with a delicate balance of flavors and aromas. The use of spices and milk gives it a unique and satisfying taste, making it a favorite beverage around the world.
- Crowd-pleaser: Karak chai is loved by tea enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds. Whether served at a party or just enjoyed with family and friends, it is sure to please everyone’s taste buds.
- Comforting: A cup of hot Indian tea is known for providing comfort in times of stress or just to cozy up on a cold day.
What Is Karak Chai?
Karak tea, also sometimes spelled as Kadak chai, is a traditional Indian tea that is strong and rich in flavor.
The word karak literally means strong, and hence, you know that the flavor is definitely going to pack a punch โ in the best way possible! Karak chai is usually made with rich, whole-fat milk in India.
I remember my teenage years having the tastiest chai ever while living in Mumbai. The milk they had there was pure, thick, creamy milk.
Types Of Tea Leaves
When it comes to making the perfect cup of karak chai, the type of black tea you use really affects the flavor.
I always suggest getting your hands on some Indian tea for this recipe. There are three different types you can use!
ASSAM TEA (The best for making karak chai)
Assam tea originates from North-Eastern India. This type of tea is strong, full-bodied, and rich in flavor. Assam tea has a deep amber color and the quintessential Indian tea flavor.
DARJEELING TEA
Darjeeling tea originates from the Himalayan region in India. This tea has a beautiful, delicate flavor with a golden or amber color.
NILGIRI TEA (Not recommended for karak chai)
Nilgiri tea comes from Southern India and is grown at the highest altitude of the three teas.
This type of tea has a really subtle flavor with a golden color. It’s also really fragrant with floral tones and a creamy feel. Since it’s so light and fragrant, I wouldn’t recommend this one for Karak chai, which is supposed to be strong.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Indian Tea
All you need are some simple ingredients from your pantry to make this delicious Indian tea at home. Let’s look at them in more detail:
Water: Water will be the base for this recipe, binding all of the ingredients together.
Evaporated milk: We’ll also incorporate some evaporated milk into the mix, which will help give the dish a rich and creamy texture.
Sugar: To sweeten our recipe, we’ll use regular white sugar. You can’t use honey in karak chai; the flavor will be different.
Crushed cardamom: This will impart a warm, spicy flavor to our karak chai.
Whole cloves: We’ll use whole cloves along with the cardamom. The cloves will add a subtle hint of earthy sweetness and aroma to the chai tea recipe.
Ginger: To further enhance the flavor of our recipe, we’ll use grated ginger. The ginger releases its fragrant oils, which infuse the other ingredients with a warm, spicy taste.
Tea bags: To complete our recipe, we’ll incorporate tea bags. The tea will steep and infuse the other ingredients with its unique flavor and aroma.
How to Make Karak Chai (Step by Step)
Making Indian tea (Karak chai) at home is incredibly easy. Let’s look at home to make it:
Step 1:
To make ginger-spiced chai tea, gather a saucepan and add some water. Add some freshly grated ginger, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and cloves to the water. Put the saucepan on the stove and let it come to a boil.
Step 2:
When the water starts boiling, add some sugar to it and drop in a few tea bags. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for a minute.
Step 3:
After a minute of simmering, turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid. Leave it to rest for a minute.
Step 4:
Once the tea has steeped for a minute, it’s time to add in some milk. Bring the tea to a boil and let it simmer for another minute.
Step 5:
Once the tea is done boiling, strain it and serve it up hot. Enjoy the delicious flavors and the aroma of the spices in every sip.
Your delicious chai karak is ready to be served!
Tips For Making the Best Karack Chai
- Choosing spices: Choose the perfect spice combination that will complement the tea’s flavor. For instance, adding ginger, cloves, and cinnamon to black tea will create a spicy and rich flavor.
- Use quality tea: Buy premium-quality tea leaves or tea bags for a flavorful and exquisite cup of tea. Always check the packaging to ensure that the tea is fresh.
- Adjust tea strength: Let the tea steep longer to get a stronger cup of tea. Alternatively, steeping for a shorter period will produce a milder flavor.
- Make it vegan: You can replace the evaporated milk with almond or oat milk.
- Less spices: At times, I only add cardamom pods to my tea, and I still enjoy a great flavor.
Variations
This Indian tea recipe is absolutely delicious, but if you’re looking to customize it here are some ideas you can try:
- Spiced chai: Add cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves to the tea for a warm, spiced flavor. This variation is perfect for cold winter mornings.
- Masala chai: Another idea is to add black pepper, fennel seeds, and star anise to create a bold, savory flavor. This variation is great for those who prefer more intense flavors.
- Mint chai: You can also add fresh mint leaves to the tea for a refreshing and cooling twist. This variation is perfect for hot summer afternoons.
- Rose chai. To create a delicate and floral flavor, consider adding rose water and a bit of honey. This variation is great for a romantic evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can add other whole spices like cinnamon, star anise etc for added flavor. You can also add sweeteners like sugar or honey to taste.
You can use fresh or ground ginger. Fresh ginger will give you a stronger flavor, but ground ginger is more convenient and easier to use.
Yes, you can use any black tea leaves that you like, but Assam tea leaves are traditionally used to make Indian tea and are readily available in most shops or online stores.
You don’t, Karack chai should be consumed fresh.
Serving Suggestions
Karak chai should always be served hot and never in mugs. In India, it is served in small glasses of tea or medium-sized cups. This recipe makes three servings.
Related Recipes that Go Well with Kark Chai
- Indian Bread Paratha.
- Flaky Chicken Samosa.
- Punjabi Aloo Samosa.
- Kerala Paratha Recipe.
- Krispy Flavorful Onion Pakora.
Karak Chai (Indian Strong Tea)
Ingredients
- 2 ยฝ cup water
- 6 tablespoons evaporated milk
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 4 whole cardamom crushed
- 2 whole clove
- 2 slices of ginger About an inch each.
- 4 black tea bags
- 2 inch stick of cinnamon
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add 2 1/2 cup water water, 2 slices of ginger, 2 inch stick of cinnamon, 4 whole cardamom crushed, and 2 whole clove.
- When the water comes to a boil, add 4 teaspoons sugar and 4 black tea bags, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and cover the tea. Let it steep for one minute.
- Add 6 tablespoons evaporated milk and bring the tea to a boil. Let it boil for 1 minute.
- Strain the tea and serve it hot.
Video
Notes
- Tea is very delicate, letting it boil for a long time will change its taste and reduce the flavor.
- Steeping the tea is the best way to let the flavor of the spices and tea come together, so don’t skip this step.
- You can reduce the calories by reducing the amount of sugar and using low-fat evaporated milk.
- Make it vegan by using almond or oat milk.
- This post was originally published in 2014. It is updated with a video, new images, and more information.
Nutrition
I am not used to having tea with milk…always plain. Now I am tempted to give it a try again!
Give it a try Angie, you’ll love it ๐
I just made your karak tea, used 1/4 regular milk and powdered cloves because thatโs all I have. Turned delicious and simple to make. I sent it to my daughter to try. Thank you.
Hi Anna, thanks a lot for trying my recipe, I appreciate it ๐
I met one Indian man , he is expert in making karak chai…
he told me these steps, it is the same mentioned above but with some different.
1) put cardamom with water and let it boiled for 5 minutes.
2) add Indian black tea then boil again for more 2 minutes.
3) add the clove and ginger and let it boil for more 2 minute.
4) stop boiling, then add evaporated milk and wait for 2 minute, then let it to start boiling again for 5 minute.
you will have a strong delicious taste.
I’d love to give it a try and see how different it is in taste, although it sounds delicious already ๐ … Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this recipe ^-^
Okay this great, not so spicy, i make it way spicy, but I like your version, i guess evaporated milk will taste better! need to buy some!
I use whole regular milk most of the time, and yes I can make mine very spicy too especially when it’s raining outside ๐
Just found your site. Yum! Your Karak Chai is wonderful. Had friends from the Punjab who taught me some wonderful recipes from India, adding your tea & other goodies I find here on your site to my recipe file! Thank you & blessing always ๐บ
Hi Mare, Thank you so much for your comment ๐ I’m glad that you and your guests enjoyed my recipes!
Hi dear. I have loose black tea. How much should I put? By the way I love your Arabic Chicken Stew and my family loves it too. ๐
Hi, Thanks for trying my recipes ๐. For this karak chai recipe you will need 4 1/2 teaspoon black loose tea. Hope this helped!