Masalas

Homemade spice blends and podis that beat the packet

• Kandi Podi (Andhra Gunpowder) · Andhra Pradesh. Andhra's beloved gunpowder of roasted toor dal, chana dal, red chillies and garlic, mixed into hot rice with a generous spoon of ghee.
• Andhra Kura Karam (Mamsam Masala) · Andhra Pradesh. The fiery, coriander-rich curry powder Andhra homes roast for chicken and mutton curries: guntur chillies, poppy seeds, dry coconut and whole garam spices.
• Chai Masala · Gujarat. Warming cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove and black pepper, ground together so a pinch turns plain milky tea into roadside masala chai.
• Tandoori Masala · Punjab. A deep red, smoky-warm blend of Kashmiri chilli, roasted whole spices, kasuri methi, ginger and garlic for tikkas and tandoori chicken.
• Chaat Masala · Delhi. The tangy, salty, faintly sulphurous sprinkle that makes chaat taste like chaat: roasted cumin, amchur, black salt and dried mint.
• Rasam Powder · Tamil Nadu. A peppery, cumin-forward podi for thin, tangy South Indian rasam. Lighter on dal than sambar powder and sharper on the nose.
• Sambar Powder · Tamil Nadu. Tamil-style sambar podi of roasted coriander, red chillies, dals, fenugreek and curry leaves. One batch makes about 20 pots of sambar that taste like home.
• Hyderabadi Biryani Masala · Hyderabad. The perfumed blend behind a proper Hyderabadi dum biryani: shahi jeera, mace, stone flower, cubeb and rose petals, roasted gently and ground fine.
• Garam Masala (Punjabi Style) · Punjab. The warm, peppery, cardamom-heavy blend of North Indian home kitchens and dhabas. Freshly ground, it smells nothing like the dusty shop-bought jar.