Lighter masala chai
Proper ginger-cardamom chai with half milk, half water and only half a teaspoon of sugar: 65 kcal a cup.
- Time
- 9 min (2 prep + 7 cook)
- Makes
- 1 serving
- Level
- Easy
- Gear
- Stovetop
Per serving
1 cup (180 ml)
- Calories
- 65kcal
- Protein
- 3g
- Carbs
- 7g
- Fibre
- 0g
- Fat
- 3g
- Sugar
- 7g
The usual cup of chai is 150 ml of full-cream milk and two spoons of sugar, around 150 kcal, three or four times a day. Brewing the tea and spices strongly in water first and finishing with half a cup of toned milk keeps the taste while cutting the calories by more than half. Have it at breakfast or mid-afternoon as usual, just lighter.
- Low calorie
- Under 15 min
- Budget
- Breakfast
- Snack
Contains dairy.
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Ingredients
Method
- 1
Boil the water with the ginger and cardamom in a small pan on high heat for 2 minutes until it smells strongly spiced.
- 2
Add the tea leaves, lower to medium and boil for 2 minutes until the water is dark red-brown.
- 3
Pour in the milk and the sugar, bring back to a boil on medium, and let it rise once (watch it; it boils over fast). Lower the heat and simmer 1 minute.
- 4
Strain into a cup and drink hot.
Tips
- Strong tea and spices in the water stage are what make a lighter chai still taste rich.
- Drop the sugar to zero over a week; the ginger and cardamom carry the cup.
Swaps
- Skim milk brings it to about 50 kcal; full-cream milk takes it to about 90 kcal.
Storage
Make fresh; reheated chai turns bitter.
Nutrition is estimated per serving from IFCT 2017 and USDA FoodData Central and rounded. Your ingredients and portions will differ a little.
More drinks
Iced lemon tea
Home-brewed black tea chilled with lemon and a teaspoon of honey: 30 kcal, instead of a 140 kcal bottle.
- 10 min
- Calories
- 30 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g protein
