Best Ever Karak Chai Recipe (Karak Tea)

This Karak chai (Karak tea) recipe is super silky and smooth, perfect for a morning or afternoon drink and especially perfect for those days it’s raining and you want to cozy up with a hot drink!

Karak chai origin

Well, we know that masala chai originates from the Indian subcontinent, and throughout South-Asia and beyond you will find various iterations of the chai drink. One of those iterations is Karak chai, ‘Karak’ roughly translating to ‘strong’, and chai to ‘tea’.

If you do want something iced instead, be sure to check out my iced chai recipe or my iced chai latte recipe.

So it’s a strong tea? Yes, it’s basically a strong tea, with some recipes (like mine!) calling for the use of evaporated and/or condensed milk and so then it becomes a strong, milky, and usually sweet tea!

The Karak chai recipe, while adopting inspiration from the classic chai, has actually been cultivated and developed by both Arab and South-Asian communities and is actually one of the most popular drinks consumed within the UAE.

Karak Chai vs masala Chai

With the above context in mind, I would describe karak chai as masala chai’s little sister. Karak chai uses the same spices and methods used in masala chai, but it’s richer, stronger and usually sweeter than a normal chai.

How to make karak chai? Step by step guide:

See below for a step-by-step guide. 

Chai health benefits?

As karak chai contains most of the same spices as your regular masala chai, they share a lot of the same benefits.

Karak chai, like masala chai, can boost immunity, enhance your digestion, reduce inflammation and reduce stress and anxiety.

As you probably already know, tea also contains caffeine, but a lot less than coffee so if you’re trying to reduce or limit your caffeine intake, then any type of chai could be a good place to start!

What can i pair with a karak chai?

Head over to my palak paneer pakora recipe or my aubergine fry, if you’re looking to pair this with something!

Ingredients?

1. Two to three cloves of cardamom: This works excellently with the cinnamon element, the two ingredients go hand in hand and aid the sweet notes of this karak chai.
2. One to two slices of ginger: I don’t like my tea to be super gingery in flavour but if you do, then add more. Adding more ginger will be excellent for anyone who is trying to get rid of a cold.
3. Three to four black pepper corns: For the heat element and essential to absolutely any type of masala chai recipe! This ingredient works really well together with the cloves.
4. One or half of a bayleaf: Optional, but excellent if you have to hand. The flavour that bayleaf can bring is subtle, but noticeable.
5. A few small barks of cinnamon or a quarter of a bark: One of the key ingredients to any chai recipe! Adjust based on how much you do (or don’t) like cinnamon.
6. Two to three cloves: Works very well together with the black pepper and cloves will aid the heat element of chai!
7. Three to four strands of saffron: I know saffron can be on the pricier end, but trust me, it is worth the cost! The depth of flavour that saffron adds is genuinely excellent.
8. Half a cup of evaporated milk: For that milky and delicious creamy flavour. I absolutely love adding evaporated milk to my karak chais!
9. One and a half tablespoons of condensed milk: This is the ingredient that will add the sweetness to your recipe! Be careful not to add too much and if you are trying to drink less sweet teas then you could also consider adding a teaspoon instead.
10. A full cup of milk (Dairy or non-dairy): I used dairy milk here for that authentic karak chai, but oat milk will be an excellent substitute.