MAKING YOUR OWN INDIAN MASALAS AT HOME
Grinding your Indian masala has several benefits. It's worthwhile if you enjoy cooking and are looking for ways to enhance the flavor of your dishes.
Here are the main reasons you should consider grinding your spices:
Making homemade spice masala powders:
- Saves time.
- They are easy to make.
- They are free of preservatives and additives.
- We can make these masalas with less salt.
- Homemade spice mixes are tastier than store-bought ones.
The following is a list of homemade masala powders or spice mix recipes. You can make them quickly and easily and store them in airtight containers.
Homemade Shami kabab masala powder
Homemade Shami Kabab Masala is made from a unique blend of spices and aromatics. This masala gives an authentic flavor to all kinds of kababs.
Ingredients
- 20 dry red chilies
- Three tablespoons coriander seeds
- Two tablespoons cumin seeds
- One tablespoon of black peppercorns
- Two teaspoons shahi jeera (cumin seeds)
- One teaspoon of methi seeds
- Whole spices
- Ten green cardamoms
- Two brown cardamoms
- 3-inch piece of cinnamon
- Ten cloves
- Two pieces of mace
- Three bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Method
- In a pan, dry roast the ingredients for the Shami Kabab Spice mix for 2 minutes. Roast on medium heat.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Grind to a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container.
Usage: Add three tablespoons Shami Kabab masala for 1 kilo of meat/chicken.
All-purpose spice mix for mutton/chicken/egg/vegetable curry
This is an all-purpose spice mix. It is a homemade masala powder for various curries, including chicken, mutton, vegetable, or egg.
Ingredients
- 20 dry red chilies
- Three tablespoons whole coriander
- Two tablespoons whole cumin
- Two tablespoons fennel seeds (badi saunf)
- Two teaspoons of whole peppercorns
- Ten cardamoms
- Ten cloves
- 4-inch stick of cinnamon
Method
- Dry roast all the above ingredients on a pan
- Grind to a smooth powder.
- Cool and store in an airtight box.
Usage: Add three tablespoons of spice mix for 1 kilo of meat. Add a little more if you want the curry to be spicier.
Homemade tandoori masala powder
Homemade Tandoori Masala Powder is among the best spice mixes you can make and store. When you have the tandoori masala powder, any grill or barbeque cooking becomes easy and time-saving.
Ingredients
- 20 dry red chilies (long)
- Three tablespoons coriander seeds
- Two tablespoons cumin seeds
- One tablespoon of black peppercorns
- One teaspoon of fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
- 3-inch piece cinnamon
- Seven green cardamoms
- Seven cloves
- Two black cardamoms
- One tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- One teaspoon of black salt
Method
- Heat a pan.
- Dry roast the first nine ingredients from the above list.
- Transfer the roasted spices to a grinding jar.
- Add kasoori methi and black salt. Grind the mix to a smooth fine powder.
- Pass the powder through a sieving mesh to make the powder finer.
- Store the powder in an airtight container.
Usage: Use three tablespoons of tandoori masala spice mix for 1 kilogram of chicken.
Homemade Achari spice mix
Homemade Achari Masala Powder is a customizable and versatile spice mix. Indians use this masala powder for vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries and any achari-flavored kababs.
Ingredients
- Ten dry Kashmiri red chilies
- One tablespoon coriander seeds
- One tablespoon of cumin seeds
- One tablespoon of fennel seeds (Badi Saunf)
- Two teaspoons of black peppercorns
- One teaspoon of mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
- One teaspoon of black salt (Kala namak)
- One teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Two teaspoons of amchur powder
- One teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
Method
1. On a low flame, dry roast- Dry red chilies
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Fennel seeds (badi saunf)
- Black peppercorns
- Mustard seeds
- Nigella seeds, and
- Methi seeds.
3. Cool and grind the mixture to a smooth and fine powder.
4. Mix the powder from the blender with black salt, turmeric powder, amchur powder, and asafetida in a large bowl. Mix well.
5. Store in a dry airtight glass container.
Homemade haleem masala powder
Ingredients
- One teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds)
- Three bay leaves
- Four cloves
- Five green cardamoms
- 2-inch stick of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon kalonji (nigella seeds)
- One tablespoon coriander seeds
- One teaspoon of black pepper
- Eight dry red chilies
- 6-7 curry leaves
Method
- Dry roast all the ingredients.
- Grind to a smooth fine powder.
Usage: This recipe is enough for a haleem of 1 kilogram of meat.
Pepper masala powder (for pepper chicken/pepper mutton/pepper egg roast)
Ingredients
- Two green cardamoms
- Four cloves
- One tablespoon of cumin seeds
- One tablespoon coriander seeds
- Three tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- Two teaspoons fennel seeds (badi saunf)
Method
- Dry roast the ingredients.
- Grind to a smooth powder.
- Store in an airtight jar.
Faqs On MAKING YOUR OWN INDIAN MASALAS AT HOME
How can I grind masala at home?
A spice grinder is best for blending your spice powders as and when required. You can use an electric coffee/spice grinder or grind the spices by hand using a mortar and pestle. Note that this will take a fair amount of arm work.
How long does homemade masala last?
Homemade spice mixtures can last up to 6 months (or even more!). Store the masala powder in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry, dark place (like a pantry or spice cabinet).
How do you make spice powder?
There are several methods for grinding spices manually. These methods include using a mortar and pestle (most common), rasp grater, and even a rolling pin! You can quickly blend your spices using a blender, food processor, electric spice grinder, or coffee grinder.
How do you grind spices by hand?
Use a more substantial blunt object, like a rolling pin, cast-iron skillet, or meat tenderizer, for the tough-to-grind spices and seeds. Before grinding the herbs, put them in a ziplock bag first; otherwise, you'll create a mess and lose much of your hard work.
How to grind masala without a mixer?
Use a rolling pin for the best results. Before grinding, chop the spices into smaller pieces for ease of grinding. After wrapping the dry herbs with plastic wrap, use a rolling pin on a flat surface to grind the spices.
What is the hardest spice to grind?
Cinnamon is one of the most common spices. Yet it's the hardest to grind because it comes from the bark of young twigs. Fortunately, cinnamon grinders can help you crush and grind cinnamon bark to a fine powder.
What are the best spices to grind?
These are the best spices to buy whole first and then grind at home for maximum flavor:
- Peppercorns: Pepper goes into almost every savory recipe, so obviously, it's a no-brainer to include it in this list.
- Nutmeg: Some nutmeg goes a long way with pots of dark, leafy greens, baked stuff, and bechamel sauces.
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Cardamom