26 masala recipes

Chaat masala, the tangy, sour Indian spice blend built on amchoor (dried mango powder) with cumin, coriander, ginger, and a kick of cayenne. Sprinkle it on fruit, potatoes, and snacks for instant zing.

Garam masala lamb kebabs marinated in spiced yogurt with ginger, garlic, and fresh coriander, then grilled until charred and finished with a dusting of warm, toasted garam masala. Includes a from-scratch spice blend.

Traditional Indian dish of roasted chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce. The chicken is a very good source of lean protein, while the sauce provides important nutrients such as vitamins A and C as well as calcium.

Asafetida, mango powder, and black salt distinguish the chat masala from other masalas, giving the blend a sourness that makes it a welcome accompaniment to fresh fruit and other snacks. 'Chat' refers to various snacks and to the North Indian cafes that serve them. Fresh fruit often is sprinkled with lime juice and chat masala. Black salt (which is actually reddish gray), available at Indian food stores, has a distinctive flavor that's quite different from sea salt or table salt. The garam masala is the wild card in this recipe; either one of the (Tamil Nadu Curry Powder or Punjabi-Style Garam Masala) masalas may be used.

A batch-cook curry base gravy with garlic, ginger, onion puree, and tomatoes. Make 10 portions, freeze, and shortcut your way through weeknight curries.

Homemade tandoori masala spice blend with freshly ground cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Just 3 spices plus food coloring for that signature red tint. Stores for 2 months.

Indian nut masala paste made from toasted cumin, cardamom, poppy seeds, and peppercorns ground with almonds, garlic, and fresh ginger. Keeps for a month.

A simple authentic Indian chicken curry. Adjust the spices to suit your tastes. Serve it with steamed rice or spicy rice puloa (posted separately)

Moghul masala spice blend ground from whole cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, nutmeg, and cardamom. A warm, aromatic Indian spice mix for curries, rice, and meat dishes.

A homemade Balti curry paste made from ground spices, vinegar, and oil, fried until thick and bubbling. Bottle it hot and keep it on hand as the flavor base for all your Balti curries and stir-fries.

Homemade garam masala spice blend with whole-toasted cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cumin, and coriander. The aromatic foundation of North Indian cooking, ground fresh for unmatched flavor.

Easy garam masala: a streamlined four-spice blend of black cumin, peppercorns, cloves, and nutmeg ground fresh. Essential warming Indian spice mix.

Authentic Indian garam masala blends black pepper, caraway, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and cardamom into a robust, fragrant spice mix for curries, braises, and finishing dishes.

A fragrant homemade Balti spice blend built from toasted coriander, cumin, cassia bark, fennel, black mustard seeds, cloves, and cardamom. Use it dry in curries or mix it into Balti masala paste for the real deal.

Homemade garam masala from whole roasted cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and mace ground fresh. This essential Indian spice blend takes 20 minutes and blows store-bought versions out of the water.

Veal Marsala with scaloppine pan-seared in butter and finished with a quick Marsala wine pan sauce. A classic Italian entree with just 6 ingredients, ready in 30 minutes.