masalas
Indian seasoning blends
Masalas are spice blends used in South Asian cooking.
The word comes from Hindi and can refer to any mixture of ground spices—there are countless regional variations.
Garam masala is perhaps the most familiar in Western kitchens, but masala appears in many combinations: tikka masala, chaat masala, masala chai.
The plural signals multiple types or preparations of these blends.
Ground aromatic seed
- turmericYellow rhizome spice
- corianderHerb yielding fragrant seeds
- cardamomAromatic seed pod spice
- fenugreekAromatic legume seed spice
fennel · clove · cinnamon · nutmeg · mace · chili · asafoetida · nigella
Spiced layered rice dish
- curryAromatic South Asian dish
- dalStewed split legumes
- saagSouth Asian cooked greens
- kormaMild, creamy braised dish
tikka · tandoori · vindaloo · samosa · pakora · chaat · pulao · kebab
Savory South Asian street-snack
cumin
Ground aromatic seed
fenugreek · fennel · clove · cinnamon · nutmeg · mace · chili · asafoetida · nigella · saffron
biryani
Spiced layered rice dish
korma · tikka · tandoori · vindaloo · samosa · pakora · chaat · pulao · kebab · kofta
chaat
Savory South Asian street-snack
grinding
Molar action sometimes
blooming · mortar · pestle · whole · powdered · homemade · store-bought · measuring
fragrant
Emitting pleasant smell
smoky · citrusy · floral · musky · heady · redolent · complex · layered · toasted · nutty
masalasunseasoned
Lacking flavor or experience
unspiced · bland food · plain · unflavored · tasteless
- tikka masalaSpiced tomato-cream curry
- chicken tikka masalaPoultry in spiced cream sauce
- garam masalaIndian spice mixture
- masala chaiSpiced milk tea from India
- chana masalaSpiced Indian chickpea dish
- tandoori masalaIndian spice mixture