Masala and Chai

Masala and Chai Approachable and authentic Indian recipes, cooking techniques, and culture by Arizona-based Shweta Garg.

The perfect weekend brunch = Dosa Waffles! I’ll never forget the first time I had one at a restaurant in 2016. The waffl...
06/13/2026

The perfect weekend brunch = Dosa Waffles! I’ll never forget the first time I had one at a restaurant in 2016. The waffle maker gets it crisp on the outside but it’s gorgeously fluffy on the inside without needing to get the spreading technique down. Perfect for slathering in chutney, masala aloo, and dipping in sambar.

Comment “recipe” and I’ll send you a DM with the direct link!
https://masalaandchai.com/dosa-waffles/

06/13/2026

A year and a half into my gardening journey since moving back to Phoenix and here’s where we’re at in my jungly backyard. Motivated by $4 pomegranates and $7 for ONE passion fruit at the grocery store… We started with around 4900 sqft of unbelievable excruciating heat from the rock mulch, turf, and pavers and filled about 3500 sqft with food and flowers. I’m up to around 70 fruit trees, not including fruiting vines and bushes.

Lots of setbacks but man… walking into the back doesn’t even feel like a desert. It’s at least 10 degrees cooler too ☀️ after the summer I have a few more trees I want to plant and I need to redo the irrigation on my raised beds!

Wooden garden beds - Gardener's Supply Company
Metal beds - We help you grow.
Steel Edging - Edge Right
Steel trellises - Jordan Woodall
Green tile table & fountain - Tierra Del Lagarto
Umbrella - Lulu and Georgia
Compost + Mulch - Flower Of The Gods Nursery & Tank's Green Stuff
Food Forest Mentors & Plant Dealers 🤣 - Sophea | Arizona Gardener Phoenix Roots Gardening

A weekend breakfast favorite - Poha! It’s our Indian version of rice for breakfast 😋 flattened rice sautéed with a few v...
05/17/2026

A weekend breakfast favorite - Poha! It’s our Indian version of rice for breakfast 😋 flattened rice sautéed with a few veggies and curry leaves from the garden and a few classic Indian spices. It’s been a staple for us growing up and is so easy to make under 30 mins!

Comment “recipe” and I’ll send you a direct link!
https://masalaandchai.com/breakfast-poha/

05/12/2026

This is your sign that your weekday sweet treat can be a gorgeous and simple Gajar ka Halwa! I always wait to enjoy Indian desserts for special occasions but I’m just trying to get through one week at a time at this point 🤪

Comment “recipe” for a DM with the direct link!
https://masalaandchai.com/gajar-ka-halwa-carrot-pudding/
▢ 10 oz carrots
▢ 1 cup whole milk
▢ 3 tablespoons ghee
▢ ½ cup whole milk powder
▢ ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom
▢ ¼ cup sugar

When I think of my angel mother, sunshine mother-in-law, and the wonderful sister in laws that made me an auntie - these...
05/08/2026

When I think of my angel mother, sunshine mother-in-law, and the wonderful sister in laws that made me an auntie - these are all the recipes that come to mind! Dozens of bright recipes from delicious drinks, brunch dishes, and desserts that they adore and that the mothers in your life would love as well!

✨ Comment “send recipe” and I’ll send you all of these Mother’s Day recipes and more!
https://masalaandchai.com/category/mothers-day/

05/06/2026

This Carrot Cake Punch topped with a Cream Cheese Whipped Cream “Frosting” is my homegrown Mother’s Day gift, made extra special with for that rich, caramel
sweetness 🥕

Growing up, I had an insatiable sweet tooth, so much so that I’d take down a whole carrot cake for breakfast. A carrot cake-esque punch felt like a better adult option: fresh carrot juice, warm chai spices, and a silky date cream blended into a dessert punch… finished with a cloud of cream cheese whipped cream on top. It’s cozy, nostalgic, and indulgent for celebrating a queen along with a beautiful homegrown bouquet of flowers and herbs.

Save this for brunch, pour it over ice, and don’t skip the whipped cream—it’s the “frosting” that
makes it 🫶

Get the full recipe on https://www.naturaldelights.com/recipes/carrot-cake-punch

Ingredients
Carrot Juice Base
400 g carrots, peeled and sliced into chunks
2-2.5 cups cold water

Natural Delights Date Cream
6–8 Natural Delights Medjool dates, pitted
½ cup warm cream or coconut milk
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Punch
Fresh carrot juice (strained)
Date cream (reserve 2 tablespoons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon chai spice
Pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
1 oz cream cheese, very soft
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
1-2 tablespoon date cream
2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1-2 tablespoon milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

I have admittedly been a bit slow these past few months in creating new recipes. But mom and I got together in the kitch...
05/05/2026

I have admittedly been a bit slow these past few months in creating new recipes. But mom and I got together in the kitchen to share a few new things. What cracks me up is this Chicken Curry because well… she’s vegetarian. Back in the day, we’d use a Costco rotisserie chicken and had to cook the chicken outside in its own dedicated Crockpot 🤣

Yet, she makes the best dang homestyle curry. Once you know techniques to develop flavor, you don’t need much else! And this post helps you do exactly that.

Comment “send recipe” and you’ll get the link directly in the DMs
https://masalaandchai.com/chicken-curry/

04/30/2026

Join me for a yap session in the financially conservative elaichi hating kitchen of my parents to try a $50 box of what is considered the king of all mangoes, Indian Alphonso Mangoes! 🥭

Comment “recipe” to get a direct link to the family mango lassi recipe!
https://masalaandchai.com/mango-lassi/

04/28/2026

I’m joining on YouTube this week from my garden in Phoenix, Arizona! I’m sharing 5 of my favorite seeds from Botanical Interests which all serve a purpose in a desert summer garden. I’ve got recommendations for living mulch to keep root zones cool, ornamentals to create robust microclimates, or veggies that keep producing in the thick of summer.

IN THIS VIDEO
Tulsi Holy Basil Seeds
Impala Castor Bean Seeds
Armenian Cucumber Seeds
Quick Snack Cucumber Seeds
Mountain Sweet Yellow Watermelon Seeds

Use the code “MASALAANDCHAI” for a discount on Botanical Interests!

Added this insanely beautiful Dasheri Mango to the food forest to accompany the Alphonso mango 🥭 Now I feel like I just ...
04/27/2026

Added this insanely beautiful Dasheri Mango to the food forest to accompany the Alphonso mango 🥭

Now I feel like I just need a Kesar mango tree!

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