Masala and Irani chai are two adaptations of tea. One uses spices like cardamom and cinnamon while the other incorporates reduced dairy products. This article will explore all the important bits of information on each. Irani chai vs masala chai; here’s everything you need to know.
Irani Chai vs Masala Chai
Irani chai was created by Zoroastrian Irani immigrants to British India. It is made with reduced khoya or mawa. In recent times, some people have started using powdered milk in it too. Masala chai is the Indian term for spiced tea. It refers to cardamom tea and cinnamon tea among others.
What is in Irani chai?
Popularly known as Dum Chai, Irani chai is a spin on black tea. It calls for the addition of a creamy reduced milk mixture (mawa or khoya) to black tea which gives you a creamy and sweet drink.
Spices like green cardamom or cinnamon can be added at the cook’s discretion.
What is masala chai?
Add a few spices like cinnamon or cardamom to regular desi chai and you get a cup of masala chai.
Read more about the masala chai vs chai differences here.
Chaga chai, contrary to popular belief, is not a kind of masala chai. It is a delicious drink made with a mushroom that has antioxidant properties. We have an article on chaga vs masala chai if you’re interested in learning more.
History
First served by Zoroastrian Irani immigrants to British India in the 19th century, Irani chai has close ties to Iranian history. Some of the Irani cafes set up during that period can still be found in Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and other regions of India.
Get your hands on some of the Irani chai there and it’ll blow your mind.
Masala chai’s origin is a little more blurry than that. Legend has it that 5000 years ago, a king ordered a spiced beverage to be used for Ayurveda (alternative medicine). Since the spices used in it have health benefits, this story makes sense.
Taste and smell
Irani chai vs masala chai, let’s talk about taste and smell.
Irani chai is quite stronger than other types of chai since it is a very concentrated drink prepared over a long time. Its flavor is mostly dominated by the dairy components which makes it quite milky.
Masala chai’s taste and smell depend entirely on the spices you use to make it. It will smell of cinnamon if you use that and of cardamom if you use that. Tea leaves themselves don’t have a very strong smell which is overpowered easily.
Popularity
Celebrity Selena Gomez made masala chai on her cooking show with help of chef Padma Lakhsmi. This alone is enough to prove the far-reaching influence of this Indian delight.
Outside of India, masala chai is known as spiced tea. Cardamom tea, cinnamon tea, etc., are just some of the more popular variants.
Contrary to the global popularity of masala chai, Irani chai’s popularity is fairly limited to India. Even within India, you’ll mostly find this kind of tea in Hyderabad.
Nutrition
Taking a close look at the masala Irani chai calories will show you that 100 grams of black tea leaves have 1 calorie. So the chunk of calories comes from dairy products like milk and khoya.
Here’s a breakdown of the calorie count of each ingredient used.
| Ingredient | Amount | Calories |
| Khoya/Mawa | 1 tbsp | 67 |
| Tea leaves | 100 grams | 1 |
| Cardamom | 1 tsp | 6 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp | 6 |
| Black pepper | 1 tsp | 6 |
| Clove | 1 tsp | 6 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp | 2 |
| Sugar | 1 tsp | 16 |
| Whole Milk | 1 cup | 148 |
| Powdered Milk | 1 cup | 635 |
Health Benefits
Both masala and Irani chai are made with 100% organic ingredients. This makes them some of the most healthy teas in the world – a common ground in the Irani chai vs masala chai comparison.
Drinking masala and Irani chai during pregnancy is considered safe in moderation. All kinds of tea have caffeine which isn’t good for you. The American Pregnancy Association or the APA recommends that you avoid caffeine as much as possible during pregnancy.
About the recipes
The simplest kind of tea to make is karak chai. It just uses milk, water, and tea. Both Irani and masala chai have a longer ingredient list. This gives them a more complex flavor palette.
Read more about how karak chai compares to masala chai in our article on karak chai vs masala chai.
Ingredients For Irani Chai Vs Masala chai
| Irani Chai | Masala Chai |
| Black tea leaves | Black tea leaves |
| Water | Water |
| One or both of the following spices (optional): (Green) Cardamom Cinnamon | One or more of the following spices: Black pepper Cardamom Cinnamon Clove Ginger |
| Sugar (optional) | Sugar (optional) |
| Milk | Milk (optional) |
| Khoya/Mawa |
Methods of preparation
- Masala Chai
Boil around a cup of water and add some spices of your choice. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat. Then filter out the whole spices and enjoy your cup of tea.
For those who don’t know how to make their own spice mix, watch this video. You’ll learn how to make masala chai with homemade chai masala powder.
- Irani Chai
Bring water to a boil. Then add tea leaves and reduce the heat. Steep for 10 to 20 minutes or until you notice the water’s volume having decreased by at least half. FIlter through a fine mesh and discard the tea leaves.
In another pan, heat the milk and stir it till it reduces by 50%. Whisk in the mawa or khoya until smooth. Cook for 2 more minutes after this, and then remove from heat.
Mix the filtered tea and reduced milk mixture. Add sweetener if necessary.
For an alternative recipe, click here to see a professional prepare Irani chai.
Texture
Both drinks are smooth creamy chais. They have a wonderful flavor profile and a great texture.
Irani chai in particular has a milky and creamy texture.
Serving suggestions
Chai is best served with a small snack like biscuits or plain cake. The drink itself is quite light so the food you serve with it should be like that as well.
Since chai is enjoyed warm, avoid serving cold desserts like ice cream with it.
Preservation techniques
Both teas are best served hot, fresh off the stove. If, for some reason, you can’t serve them immediately, you can place the drinks in a microwave for temporary storage.
Once you’re ready to serve, remove the milk skin and heat for 2 minutes. Then your drink is ready to serve again!
Do not store in a fridge as that will ruin the flavor and texture.
Conclusion
- Irani chai is a creamy drink made with mawa or khoya.
- Masala chai is spiced tea made with cinnamon, cardamom, etc.
- Irani tea has its origins in Irani refugee history while masala tea has its in Indian alternative medicine.
- Irani chai has a strong milky flavor while masala chai stands out for its strong smells.
- Masala chai has global acclaim while Irani chai is a local delicacy enjoyed primarily in Hyderabad, India.
- Both chais have between 50-100 calories.
- Both chais are healthy drinks but should only be consumed in moderation during pregnancy.
- The main difference in the ingredient lists for each are the mawa/khoya and spices.
- For masala chai you need to steep for 3 to 5 minutes, whereas for Irani chai it takes 10-20 minutes.
- Irani chai has a milky texture while masala chai is more liquidy.
- Both drinks are best served with a light snack.
- Store in a microwave and reheat if you can’t serve immediately.
