Homemade Indian Spice Masalas
3 Awesome Indian Spice Mixes
Let’s learn how to make some popular homemade Indian spice mixes that will help you churn out the most delicious dishes in your kitchen. Now you could buy readymade masala mixes available in stores. But let me tell you, freshly made, homemade Indian spice mixes are in a class by themselves, and their aroma and taste is unbeatable.
Now let’s see how to make three popular homemade masala mixes – shahi garam masala, pav bhaji masala, and kitchen king masala.
In the video, I’ll also share some important tips on the techniques for making super tasty spice masalas and how to store them to keep them fresh longer. So do check it out.
And in case you haven’t checked out my quick Pav Bhaji recipe, do give it a shot to find out how you could make pav bhaji more easily.
Ingredients
Garam Masala
¼ cup coriander seeds
2 ½ tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp shaha jeera (caraway seeds)
3 x 4″ cinnamon sticks
2 tsp peppercorns
2 tsp fennel seeds
3 dried red chillies (Kashmiri/bedgi)
5 tej patta (Indian bay leaves)
1 ½ tsp cloves
1 ½ tbsp green cardamom pods
4 black cardamom pods
2 star anise
1 small nutmeg
¾ tsp black salt
½ tsp salt
Pav Bhaji Masala
¼ cup coriander seeds
2 ½ tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 x 3″ cinnamon stick
10 dried red chilies (Kashmiri/bedgi)
2 tej patta (Indian bay leaves)
12 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
1 black cardamom pod
2 star anise
⅓ (small piece) nutmeg
½ tsp dry ginger
1 tbsp amchur powder (dry mango)
¾ tsp black salt
½ tsp salt
Kitchen King Masala
¼ cup coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp shaha jeera (caraway seeds)
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 ½ tbsp peppercorns
2 x 3″ cinnamon sticks
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1 ½ tbsp roasted gram
8 dried red chilies (Kashmiri/bedgi)
5 tej patta (Indian bay leaves)
1 tsp cloves
6 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
2 star anise
⅓ (small piece) nutmeg
½ tsp dry ginger
1 tbsp amchur powder (dry mango)
3 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp hing (asafoetida
¾ tsp black salt
½ tsp salt
Procedure
Shahi Garam Masala
- In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, shaha jeera. cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, fennel seeds, dried red chillies, and bay leaves on low to medium-low heat for around 3 to 4 minutes. Set these spices aside on a plate to cool.
- To the same pan now add the cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, and star anise, and dry roast them for 2 minutes on low to medium-low heat. Transfer them to the same plate as before and let all the roasted spices cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled spices to a grinder jar. And to this mix, add the roughly crushed nutmeg, black salt, and regular salt. Grind this to a powder. It doesn’t have to be ground absolutely fine.
- Transfer the spice mix to a plate to cool completely.
- Store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag. If stored in the fridge, it will stay fresh longer.
Pav Bhaji Masala
- In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, dried red chillies, and bay leaves on low to medium-low heat for around 3 to 4 minutes. Set these spices aside on a plate to cool.
- To the same pan now add the cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, and star anise, and dry roast them for 2 minutes on low to medium-low heat. Transfer them to the same plate as before and let all the roasted spices cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled spices to a grinder jar. And to this mix, add the nutmeg, dry ginger, amchur powder, black salt, and regular salt. Grind this to a powder. It doesn’t have to be ground absolutely fine.
- Transfer the spice mix to a plate to cool completely.
- Store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag. If stored in the fridge, it will stay fresh longer.
Kitchen King Masala
- In a pan, dry roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, shaha jeera, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, fenugreek seeds, roasted gram, dried red chillies, and bay leaves on low to medium-low heat for around 3 to 4 minutes. Set these spices aside on a plate to cool.
- To the same pan now add the cloves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, and star anise, and dry roast them for 2 minutes on low to medium-low heat. Transfer them to the same plate as before and let all the roasted spices cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the cooled spices to a grinder jar. And to this mix, add the nutmeg, dry ginger, amchur powder, kasuri methi, turmeric powder, hing, black salt, and regular salt. Grind this to a powder. It doesn’t have to be ground absolutely fine.
- Transfer the spice mix to a plate to cool completely.
- Store it in an airtight container or zip lock bag. If stored in the fridge, it will stay fresh longer.