Cassia in Masala Chai: How Much and When

For two cups of masala chai, use a piece of cassia about 2 to 3 cm long. Crush it lightly and put it in the water at the very start, then simmer 3 to 5 minutes before the tea leaves and milk go in. Cassia is hard bark and needs that time in boiling water. Tossed in at the end, it barely registers.

The rest is about balance, because cassia goes from warm and lovely to harsh and woody quickly.

Why cassia and not Ceylon in most chai?

Most Indian chai uses dalchini, which is almost always cassia. It has the hot cinnamon punch that stands up to milk, sugar, ginger and strong CTC tea. Ceylon is gentler and sweeter and can get lost in a strong masala chai. It does work in a lighter cup, and for people who drink many cups a day. If you're unsure what separates the two, our cassia cinnamon guide explains.

How much cassia per cup?

Treat these as a starting point. Cassia varies in strength, and so does everyone's taste. Go up a little if you like your chai to shout cinnamon, and down if you want it in the background.

When to add it

Early. Whole spices need time in boiling water to give up their oils, and cassia is the hardest of the usual chai spices. Add it with the milk and the chai won't boil long enough for it to open up.

Powder is the exception. Ground cassia gives flavour almost at once, so add it with the tea leaves or even at the end.

Masala chai for 2 cups

1. Put 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
2. Lightly crush a 2 to 3 cm piece of cassia, 2 to 3 green cardamom pods, 2 cloves and 2 to 3 peppercorns in a mortar. Crack them, don't powder them.
3. Add them to the water with a small piece of crushed ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add 2 teaspoons of tea leaves and sugar to taste. Boil 1 minute.
5. Add 1 cup of milk. Bring back to a boil and let it rise once or twice, then lower the heat and simmer a minute.
6. Strain into cups, leaving the spices behind.

Good elakka makes a difference. The cardamom we pack from Idukki is sold as whole Kerala cardamom pods, and a couple of lightly crushed pods is enough.

Mistakes that spoil the cup

Too much cassia

It turns bitter and woody if overdone. If your chai tastes dry or slightly medicinal, halve the piece next time.

Long boiling after the tea goes in

Boiling tea leaves for long pulls out tannins, and cassia adds its own astringency. Give the spices their time in water first, then keep the boil short.

Stale bark

Old cassia gives colour but little smell. Scratch it before using. No sweet, hot aroma means the chai won't have much either.

Powder at the start

Ground cassia can catch and turn muddy in a long boil. Add it later.

How many cups is too many?

For most people, a cup or two a day with a small piece of cassia is well within normal cooking amounts. The stick is strained out, and only part of what's in the bark reaches the cup.

If you drink many cups, use cassia in a lot of other dishes, or make chai for young children regularly, use smaller pieces or switch to Ceylon for some cups. We explain the numbers in how much cassia is too much. If you have a liver condition or take regular medicines, ask your doctor about large or regular cinnamon use.

Can I use Ceylon cinnamon in chai?

Yes. It gives a softer, sweeter note. Use a slightly bigger piece than you would of cassia and simmer it the same way.

Our cassia cinnamon sticks are packed whole with nothing added, so it's easy to snap off the piece you need each morning.

Make it once as written, then adjust the cassia until the cup tastes like yours.