At SPICE Masala Chai(spiced tea) is made from scratch with fresh ginger and fresh whole ground spices, a thousand-year-old recipe passed on by generations. Fresh ground spices include green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. All the fresh whole spices are roasted individually, ground, and mixed into Chai Masala.

Little history on Masala Chai

Regionally, street vendors and train vendors called chai wallahs (tea persons), kind of like a barista of chai serve masala chai to the public. Chai is also used to welcome guests into the home. In some areas, people drink an average of four to seven cups of chai per day. Chai recipes fluctuate between families, villages, cities, and regions – each sip bringing forth different nuances of meaning to whoever holds the cup to his or her lips. To the people of India, Chai is more than just a simple cup of tea. Its thick, sweet nectar is foundational to the rhythms of daily life. A symbol of hospitality, Chai evokes a sense of identity. It connects people to their heritage and , to many, is a lasting source of habitual comfort.

No matter how you take it – whether you prefer it strongly spiced, more milk, or sweet -Chai is ubiquitous drink that transcends socioeconomic boundaries, bridges communities, and even crosses continents. Across India, you will find it being stirred by Chai wallahs on crowded streets and ladled out of simmering pots in household kitchens.

Chai ritual is a source of comfort, especially during difficult times, because it connects us to the flavors and traditions of family. That first spicey-sweet sip is simultaneously a warm hug and the kick in the pants that we need to survive another moment and another day.

If you want a cup of the best Masala Chai in Southeast Alaska stop by at SPICE Juneau Indian Cuisine, let us make you a cup of Masala Chai from our kitchen to your table.

If you are looking to make your own Masala Chai, we have prepared the Chai Masala for you and here is our family recipe: For two cups of Masala Chai –

• Add one cup of water and one cup of milk (cow milk for better tasting chai) to a saucepan.
• Add ½ tablespoons of Chai Masala mix.
• Add fresh ginger if you like it spicy.
• Add one tablespoon of any black tea (Lipton black tea is good substitution for Indian black tea).
• Add sugar to taste.
• Add most important ingredient of all “LOVE”.
• Boil the mixture on a medium flame.
• Turn the flame off, strain the tea into your favorite cup and enjoy.