Indian · drink
Masala Chai
Masala Chai reads warm spice 6.7, sweetness 5.1 and floral 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian drink, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 1.1 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 5.3 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 0.7 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 1.5 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 7.3 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Warm Spice 6.7 · Sweetness 5.1 · Floral 4.7 · Heat 1.7 · Earthy 1.6 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Bitterness 1.4 · Richness 1.2 · Umami 1.1 · Nutty 0.9 · Fruity 0.8 · Citrus 0.7
What's in it (9)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp black tea leaves
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 inch ginger, bruised
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 4 black peppercorns
Time & effort: about 15 min (10 min active) · effort: easy
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 237.9 kcal, 13.3 g protein, 3 g fat, 50 g carbs
Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Crush ginger and whole spices and simmer in water for two minutes.
- Add tea leaves and simmer one more minute, then pour in milk and bring to a boil.
- Sweeten to taste, strain into cups, and serve piping hot.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Chai (Persian Black Tea) — Persian
- Turkish Coffee (Turk Kahvesi) — Turkish
- Sbiten (Сбитень) — Russian
- Gulab Jamun — Indian
- Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice) — Swahili Coast
Keep reading: what warm spice, sweetness, floral mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →
Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.