10 Homemade Masala Recipes that Will Make Your Cooking Flavoursome!

Masala Recipes: Preparing a meal from scratch is a centuries-old culinary tradition in India. Women would spend considerable amounts of time doing the prep for each Indian delicacy, and this is a custom still observed in various households across the country. Masalas used in curries and stir-fries are typically made with hands although some resort to ready-made condiments now, which are easily available in the markets . However, nothing can beat home-made masalas, especially the flavours they impart when they are freshly blended. These masalas can completely change the look and taste of the food. It does get easy to add ready-made masalas in the food considering the time constraints and busy lives that we lead. But worry not; we have picked 10 best simple masala recipes for the delicacies that are commonly cooked on a day-to-day basis. All you need to do is to keep your blender and said ingredients ready, and voila, your home-made masalas are ready to use.

Here Are The 10 Best Masala Recipes That You Can Now Prepare At Home:

1.   Garam Masala

Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta

1. Sun all ingredients or place them over an oven to rid them of any moisture. 
2. Then grind them to a powder in a food processor. 
3. Store in an airtight jar.

 2.  Chole Masala

Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta

Ingredients

1/3 cup powdered amchoor
1/4 cup powdered anardana
1 cup garam masala
3/4 cup powdered coriander seeds
2 Tbsp powdered red chillies
1/2 cup powdered sonth
1 3/4 cup salt

Method

Mix all ingredients well Store in an airtight container

3.  Biryani Masala

Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta

Ingredients

60 corns all spice
4 whole star anise
16 green cardamoms
4 whole flowers of mace
1 whole nutmeg

Method

Dry roast all ingredient Cool and powder Store in an air tight container

4.  Chaat Masala

Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta

Ingredients

1 cup coriander seeds
1 1/4 cups cumin seeds
1/2 cup thymol seeds/ ajwain
1/2 cup mango powder
2 1/2 tsp garam masala
1 1/4 cups powdered black rock salt
4 tsp powdered black pepper
2 tsp (approx) citric acid
1/2 cup dried and powdered mint leaves

Method

1. Roast the coriander, cumin and ajwain in a heavy-based pan till dark brown.
2. Remove from pan and leave to cool.
3. Put all the ingredients together and powder fine, in a processor.
4. Store in an air tight container.

5.  Tandoori Masala

Recipe by Chef Niru Gupta

Ingredients

7 whole red dry chili
4 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1/4 tbsp black pepper
1/2 inch cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
4-5 black cardamom
2 tbsp dry mango powder
1 tbsp fennel seeds
½ tbsp sugar powder

Method:

1. In a pan, dry roast all the ingredients (except for dry mango powder and suger) till it they golden brown on a low medium flame.
2. Roast for a few minutes (till some nice aroma is released). Then add the dry mango powder and roast for a minute. Switch off the flame cool and add sugar powder and mix well.
3. Once the mixture cools down completely, grind it to a fine powder in a mixer.
4. Store in an airtight container.

7. Chicken Masala 

Recipe by Chef Siddharth Talwar

Ingredients

1 tsp turmeric 
12 pieces cloves 
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
1/2 tsp mace 
15 pieces dried plums 
1 tbs red chilli powder 
10 pieces green cardamom 
4 tbs coriander powder
1 tbs salt 
12 pieces black pepper corns 
4tbs deghi mirch

Whole Spices to Grind

2 large pieces cinnamon sticks
2 tbs white cumin seeds 
15 pieces green cardamom 
5 pieces star anise 
1 tbs black cumin seeds 
1 tbs black pepper corns 
1/2tbs cloves 
4 bay leaves 

Method

Add all the whole spices and grind to make powder, then add the grinned powder to the powder spices and mix well. store in air tight jars.

8. Sambhar Masala

Recipe by Chef Siddharth Talwar

Ingredients

2 cups whole red pepper 
1 1/2 cups coriander seeds (dhania) 
2 Tbsp mustard seeds (sarson) 
3 Tbsp cumin seeds (jeera) 
4 tsp pepper corns (sabut kali mirch) 
2 Tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana) 
2 Tbsp husked split black gram (dhuli urad dal) 
2 Tbsp bengal gram (channa dal) 
2 Tbsp yellow lentils (arhar dal)
2 Tbsp rice 
2 Tbsp asafoetida (heeng) 
2 Tbsp turmeric powder (haldi) 
1/4 cup dried curry leaves (kadi patta)

Method

1. Roast all the ingredients, except the turmeric powder, till very slightly colored. 
2. Remove from the heat and cool, and grind to a powder and mix in the turmeric powder. 
3. Store this masala in an airtight jar.

9. Gunpowder Masala

Recipe by Chef Siddharth Talwar

Ingredients

1 cup - urad dal
1 cup - Channa dal
8 to 10 Red Chillies
1 tbsp - white sesame seeds 
(dry roasted)
1/2 tsp - Hing powder
2 to 3 pieces Tamarind
Small piece Jaggery (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tsp - oil

Method

1. Roast the dals together in two teaspoons of oil, till golden brown.
2. Add red chillies and roast for two minutes.
3. Add the tamarind, hing powder, sesame seeds, jaggery and salt.
4. Grind the mixture coarsely.
5.  Store in an airtight container.
6. Mix with sesame oil and eat with idlis and dosas.
7.  Can be stored for two to three months.

10. Korma Masala 

Recipe by Chef Siddharth Talwar

Ingredients

1 tsp Cumin Seeds 
1 tsp  Whole Black Pepper 
2 tbsp  Coconut Powder 
½ tsp  Mace 
½ tsp Turmeric 
½ tsp Salt 
1-1/21 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder 1 tsp
6 Cardamom 
1 Bay Leaves 
½ tsp  Tartary 
Kewra Essence Few drops

Method

1. Grind together cumin seeds, whole black pepper, coconut powder and Mace. 
2. Shift in a bowl, add turmeric, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cardamoms, bay leaf, tartary along with few drops of kewra essence. Mix well.
3. Pour into bottle. This masala is enough for 1 kg mutton and chicken korma.