Homemade Chaat Masala, Indian Spice Mix

Every massala in Indian cooking has its own importance and may be that’s why many people believe that Indian cooking is a complex process. For me, Indian cooking is multifaceted route that has no boundaries. Don’t you think so?

Most Indian snacks, street foods, roasted and fried food and salads rely on for the instant zing and the perk of Chaat Masala. Chaat Masala is the blend of hot-salty-tangy mix of spices and is usually added to the food after cooking and right before serving. Wouldn’t you love to have little sprinkle of chaat massala on Paneer Tikka, Til Tikki, ChanaChaat? Or may be shake on nutty summer salad or mojito or cucumber cooler? Why not have dusts of it on carrot raita or chutney?   I take the pleasure in having a dash of on raw tomatoes or cucumber with lemon juice- ah simple things are the best :-)

Well, There are some recipes that you inherit from your family, same way, I am sharing my Naani's (my mother’s mother) recipe- she added in some secret elements that would upgrade the taste to the next level. I remember her wrinkly hands tossing, mixing and grinding the massala. She used to say that every Indian woman must make all spice mix, as nothing beats the homemade fragrant massala. Back then I thought why waste energy when you can buy fairly nice ones from the market, now I realize the value of her words and hard work.

When you make it yourself you have the power to adjust the spices as per your taste. If you like hot- add more pepper or add more amchoor (dry mango powder) if you like tangier. While there are dozens if not hundreds of recipes for chat massala, but amchoor  and kala namak (black salt) are the ‘must’ ones. Overall, you can play around and mix up ingredients the way you like.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoon coriander seeds/dhaniya

4 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1.5 teaspoon carom seeds/ajwain

2.5-3 tablespoon black salt/kala namak/rock salt

5 red dried chiles, stems removed

4 teaspoon dried mango powder/amchoor

1/4 teaspoon asofoetida/hing

1/2 teaspoon black pepper/kali mirch

1/2 teaspoon rec chilli powder/lal mirch

1 teaspoon dried mint/sukha pudhina

Method:

1. Roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and the carom seeds separately at a very low flame for a few minutes only. They will change bit dark and become fragrant.Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Combine all ingredients and grind into a fine powder.
3. Store in air tight containers.

Notes:

This can be stored for 12 months.

Makes up to 3/4 cup.

Increase or decrease amount of any ingredients as per your taste

Dried mint brings lot flavour. Just wash the mint leaves and dry them on towel. Next keep in sunlight for some days. When the leaves dry completely store in the air tight containers.