Homemade masalas are one of the treasures of any kitchen because of the aroma they instill in the dishes. From older times, spices and herbs have been used in food to enhance its taste. Spices used to be grounded in powdered form to preserve for longer times. Like this, in the journey from past to present, we have a treasure trove of this unique mixture of spices. These masalas have their present form after decades of trial and error. For this reason, these spice mixes have reached a higher level of perfection. India is the land of home-cooked foods. Homemade masala is a tradition here. It has a plethora of homemade spices which are supremely aromatic. From North to South and from East to the West, this practice of making a unique fusion of spice blends prevails. Given below are twenty such mixes that light up the kitchen.
1.Chhole Masala
Selected spices are blended to obtain this masala. As the name suggests, this masala is used for cooking chhole or chickpeas perfectly. The recipe for this masala can vary from place to place or, in that case, family to family.
2.Biryani Masala
Biryani masala is a spice blend that is used to flavor up Biryanis (which is a non-veg dish made with rice and meat.). Biryani is the specialty in some states of India, and hence the masala has to be blended to perfection. Generally, Biryani masala is a staple blend of certain spices. But some extra spices are added occasionally to make it special. Also, the masala varies from region to region.
3.Chaat Masala
It is a spicy, salty, and sour masala. It is essentially used to flavor up ‘Chaat’, a North Indian street food. It consists of Amchoor, Cumin, Coriander, Dried ginger, Asafoetida, Black pepper, and Chilli powder. Its tangy taste makes it a favorite to all. It is also used in different dishes to spice them up.
4.Tandoori Masala
‘Tandoori Masala’ the name comes from ‘Tandoor’, which means clay oven. This mixture of spices is mainly used to flavor foods cooked in a tandoor. It consists of coriander, cumin, garlic powder, ginger, cloves, mace, cinnamon, fenugreek, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, etc, in a perfect blend.
5.Pav Bhaji Masala
It is a spice mix that enhances the taste of Mumbai’s famous street food known as ‘Pav Bhaji.’ ‘Pav Bhaji’ is a dish made with bread and mashed vegetable. It blends basic whole spices like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black cardamom, etc. The powder is blended with mashed vegetables(bhaji) to enhance its taste.
6.Korma Masala
‘Korma’ is a spicy gravy made up of yogurt and or coconut, along with herbs and spices. ‘Korma Masala’ is used to lift the flavor of this spicy gravy. Spices used to make this masala are Chillies, Garlic, Coriander, Black Pepper, Cassia, Green Cardamom, etc. It is a mild blend of flavorful masala.
7.North Indian Garam Masala
Garam Masala is a unique blend of ground spices that is both flavorful and aromatic. This spice mix is extensively used in Indian kitchens. One of the notable things is that Garam Masala has no particular recipe, and varies from place to place. Every state in India has its blend of Garam masala. The typical North Indian Garam Masala consists of spices like nutmeg, Kashmiri chilies, Black Cardamom, Clove, etc.
8.Punjabi Garam Masala
If you are cooking Punjabi dishes, then this spice mix is a must-have in the kitchen. This Punjabi version of Garam Masala is a perfect match for heavy and spicy dishes. It contains special spices like dried ginger, fennel seeds, bay leaves, etc.
9.Kashmiri Garam Masala
This version of Garam Masala belongs to the Kashmir region. It is a versatile spice powder that is used to flavor several curry or rice dishes. The unique spices it contains are nutmeg, mace, fennel, etc.
10.Panipuri Masala
Panipuri is a famous street food all over India. It is identified by different names in different regions. An essential part of this snack is ‘pani’ or water. The Panipuri Masala spice mix is used for spicing up the water and mashed potatoes. Spices that are used are Asafetida, Dried Mango Powder, Black Pepper, Cumin Powder, Chilli Powder, etc.
11.Goda Masala
It is an aromatic spice mix that is a staple in Maharashtra. Goda Masala is compulsory in the kitchen of Marathi homes. It is a flavorful spice that has a sweet aroma in it. In Marathi, ‘Goda’ means sweet hence Goda Masala means ‘Sweet Masala.’ However, this masala doesn’t taste sweet it exudes a sweet aroma.
12.Bisibele Bath Powder
This Spice mix is used to flavor up a famous rice dish of Karnataka called ‘Bisibele Bath.’ It has a classic and unique spice blend made with otherwise unusual spices. Some Ingredients are dried red chilies, coriander seeds, chana dal, poppy seeds, curry leaves, etc.
13.Kitchen King Masala
Kitchen King Masala is a unique blend of more than twenty spices. It has a fantastic aroma and a spicy zing to it. It is dark brown in color. It is a staple for North Indian cooking. Some spices used are coriander seeds, turmeric powder, dry ginger, nutmeg, etc.
14.Poha Masala
It is also known as jeeravan masala. Poha is a popular dish in Madhya Pradesh. This spice mix is used for cooking poha to perfection. Some of the ingredients this masala contains are cumin, coriander, asafetida, fennel seeds, etc.
15.Chai Mix
Chai mix or chai masala is a spice mix usually used to enhance the taste of ‘chai’ or tea. This spice mix is used for making flavorful ‘Spiced Indian Tea.’Some of the Ingredients are Cardamom, Cinnamon, Fennel, etc.
16.Chettinad Masala
Chettinad cuisine originated from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. It is known for the usage of a variety of freshly ground spices. Some of the ingredients of Chettinad Spice mix are Coriander, Cumin, Ajwain, cardamom, etc.
17.Sambar Masala
‘Sambar’ is a well-known South Indian lentil dish. This unique spice mix is used for cooking Sambar to perfection. The spices used to make this powder are cumin, red chili, coriander, curry leaves, turmeric, etc.
18.Rasam Powder
Rasam, too is a well-known dish in the southern part of India. Rasam powder is used for enhancing the taste of Rasam. Some of the spices used to make this masala are coriander, red chili, fenugreek, etc.
19.Mulgapodi Or Gun Powder
This masala is very spicy. It is used to spice up non-spicy dishes such as idli. In fact, in South India is traditionally served with Idlis. It is also known as idli chutney powder. Some components used to make this mix are Red chilies, Salt, Asafetida, Chana dal, and urad dal.
20.Bengali Garam Masala
The Bengali version of garam masala is a highly aromatic blend of spices that lights up every curry. Unlike other garam masalas, it is made of minimal ingredients. Only three ingredients are used in this spice mix, they are cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
