Which tea blend commonly includes black tea, milk, and spices in India?

Masala chai is the Indian tea blend commonly made with black tea, milk, and spices. Recipes vary, but cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper are among the familiar additions, with sugar or another sweetener often included.

The drink’s name combines masala, meaning a spice mixture, with chai, the Hindi word for tea. The word chai ultimately comes from the Chinese word for tea. In India, chai is commonly prepared by simmering tea and spices in water, then adding milk and sweetener; some cooks simmer everything together before straining it.

Black tea became widely consumed in India during the British colonial period, when tea plantations expanded in Assam and elsewhere. In the early 20th century, tea promotion and the growth of railway-side vendors helped popularize strongly brewed milk tea. Vendors and households developed regional spice combinations and preparation methods.

Masala chai is not identical everywhere. Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri teas may serve as the base, while Kashmiri chai traditionally uses green tea and has a different salty, pink profile. Outside South Asia, “chai latte” often means a café drink made from spiced tea concentrate and steamed milk.