Great Indian cooking is as simple as getting your spices right.
There are perhaps as many Indian spice mixes -- or masalas-- as there are cooks (with garam masala being the most ubiquitous), but here's my modest attempt at putting down recipes for some of the most commonly used masalas in Indian kitchens. Sure, you can buy these all ready to go at an Indian grocery store or Whole Foods or on Amazon, but there is nothing quite like the aroma and freshness of a spice mix you've put together yourself to give your recipe that added zip. All you need are the whole spices and a hardy coffee grinder or blender, and you can make your own masala in minutes.
Spices have been used in India for centuries, not just because of the amazing flavor they impart to recipes, but also because they are extremely beneficial to health. An Indian cook's spice box is as valuable -- perhaps more -- than a medicine cabinet filled with capsules and tablets. Finger bleeding? Press some turmeric on it and it will heal in no time. Even better, it will minimize the scar. Got a cold? Stir a few warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric and cardamom into some milk and you will be singing in no time. In fact, in recent years, study after study has hailed the healing power of spices, and their amazing natural preservative properties:
- Cinnamon is known as a potent warrior against heart disease and diabetes.
- Ginger not only soothes your digestive system, it can aid in memory.
- Nutmeg is an anti-inflammatory that can fight cancer.
- Chili powder-- that vibrant red spice that adds the famous heat to Indian cooking -- revs up your metabolism and can lower blood pressure.
- Turmeric, the spice to beat all spices, is an anti-inflammatory, fights cancer, reduces arthritis symptoms, improves the body's anti-oxidant capacity, can help with Alzheimer's and depression, and can fight heart disease., among other things.
So what's stopping you? Go on, add some of the goodness of spices to your kitchen and your cooking. All of the recipes below are individually printable (look for the tiny "print" button under the photo in each recipe), and most make enough masala for several servings. Store any extras in air-tight jars in a dark, cool place.
Over the years, I've expanded this list to also include recipes from regions and countries around the world that use their own spice mixes. So you'll also find here recipes for Thai curry pastes -- green, yellow, and red -- Harissa and Ras el Hanout from Morocco, Berbere from Ethiopia, and so on.
This is a living list, meaning I will update it when I have a new spice mix that's good enough to share. And finally, if you have requests for masala recipes, all you have to do is ask!
Garam Masala Recipe
Learn step by step how to make homemade garam masala powder, a blend of healthful, body-warming spices used in north Indian cooking to make tasty curries and sides. It's better than any storebought mix you can buy. Set aside 15 minutes to make it once, then use it over and over in all of your favorite restaurant-style Indian recipes.
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Servings: 12 servings (approx)
Calories: 18kcal
Ingredients
- 8 inch-long pieces cinnamon.
- 5-6 dry bay leaves
- 1 tbsp green cardamom pods
- 4 black cardamom pods
- 2 mace "flowers"
- 8-10 red chili peppers (like Kashmiri chili peppers or any mild to moderately hot chili pepper, optional or can use fewer--or more)
- ¼ cup coriander seeds
- 1 ½ tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp cloves
- 1 tbsp stone flower (dagad phool or patthar phool)
Instructions
- Heat a wide skillet over medium low heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, red chili peppers, green and black cardamom.
- Roast until the ingredients are just a couple of shades darker and smell fragrant. Remove to a plate or bowl to cool.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and toast them, again until a couple of shades darker and fragrant. Also remove to the plate or bowl.
- Once the spice ingredients have cooled, place them in a blender (preferably one fitted with a jar for dry blending), or to a spice grinder. Blend into a coarse powder.
- Store in an airtight jar.
Nutrition
Calories: 18kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Biryani Masala Spice Mix
A homemade biryani masala spice mix takes minutes to make, and rewards you with amazing flavor.
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Servings: 3 uses (approx)
Calories: 91kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp shah jeera (black cumin seeds)
- 2 dry bay leaves
- 1 tsp dagad phool (also called stone flower)
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 10 cloves
- 1 tsp mace
- 1 tbsp peppercorns
- 7 pods green cardamom
- 2 pods black cardamom
- 2 tsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 2 tbsp fried onion (use the kind you get from the store, like French's, or at the Indian store. Onions fried at home would contain too much oil which could go rancid over time)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp dry pomegranate seeds (anardana)
- 4 dry plums (chopped into smaller pieces)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except the plums in a spice grinder or a blender. Process into an even but coarse powder.
- Mix in the plums and store in an airtight jar, in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place in your pantry or kitchen.
Nutrition
Serving: 2heaping tbsp (approx) | Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 7g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 5.7mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Biryani Masala Paste
This Biryani Masala Paste is a great, aromatic spice mix to use in biryani and other rice dishes.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 15kcal
Ingredients
- 1 small onion , very thinly sliced, then fried in a fairly hot griddle for about 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the onion turns brown and crispy. You don’t want to leave the onion unattended too long because onions contain sugar and will burn.
- 10 prunes (dry plums)
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 1- inch cinnamon sticks
- 10 black cardamom
- 10 green cardamom
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp aamchoor
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender, add just enough water to make the blades turn, and let it all roll away into a smooth paste. You will need about half of this paste for the biryani recipe and can store the rest of it in an airtight container in the freezer…for a long, long time.
Nutrition
Calories: 15kcal
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Chana Masala spice mix
A spice mix for popular restaurant recipes like Chana Masala and Rajma.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 10kcal
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 1 ½- inch piece of cinnamon
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a spice grinder and process until you have a powder.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5tbsp | Calories: 10kcal
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Sambar Powder
A mix of lentils and spices used to make the south Indian dal, Sambar, or Kuzhambu.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 10kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup coriander seeds
- ⅓ cup black peppercorns
- ⅓ cup tuvar dal
- ⅓ cup chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
- 1 heaping tbsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 1 heaping tbsp mustard seeds
- 8-10 dry red chillies
- 2 tbsp turmeric powder
Instructions
- Roast all ingredients, one at a time, on the skillet. You want them to be aromatic and two or three shades darker than they were, but don't let them burn or darken too much. Since the turmeric is already powdered, toast it very lightly, for only about a minute-- if you toast it last, you can even do this in the already-hot skillet with the heat turned off.
- Put all the toasted spices including turmeric into a spice grinder or blender and process to a very fine powder.
Notes
Spices for the sambar and rasam powders are typically sun-dried for a couple of days, then ground into a fine powder. I skillet-roast the spices for expediency and it works fine.
Nutrition
Calories: 10kcal
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Rasam Powder
A spice mix used to make the aromatic south Indian dal or soup, Rasam.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 12kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup coriander seeds
- ⅓ cup tuvar dal
- ⅓ cup black peppercorns
- 3 tbsp chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 8-10 dry red chillies
- 2 tbsp turmeric powder
Instructions
- Toast the spices lightly on a dry skillet one by one until they turn aromatic and are two or three shades darker. Don't burn them and stir them constantly. Toast the turmeric lightly and add to a spice grinder or blender along with the other spices.
- Process everything into a slightly coarse powder.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 12kcal
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Kolhapuri Masala
A spice mix made with lavangi chilies from Kolhapur, in India.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 130kcal
Ingredients
- 8 dry red chillies, use Kolhapuri lavangi chilies if you can find them, or replace with any other hot red chili
- 1 cup coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion
- 12 cloves
- 12 green cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp mace
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 2- inch piece of cinnamon
- 4 large bay leaves
- 2 tbsp poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp turmeric
Instructions
- Roast all the ingredients one at a time (except the turmeric), until they are a couple of shades darker and aromatic. Roast the garlic and the onion until dark spots appear, but don't let them burn.
- Remove everything to a dish to cool, and then place in a blender. Blend into a coarse powder. I sometimes add some coconut milk, blend the masala into a paste and then freeze it.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 6.2mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Goda Masala
Goda masala, which translates to "sweet masala" is a milder version of garam masala used in the kitchens of Maharashtra. It includes coconut, which tamps down the spice a little.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 63kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp coriander seeds
- 4 cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 1-inch sticks cinnamon
- 4 dry bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dagad phool (stone flower, optional)
- 20 peppercorns
- 2 tbsp fennel
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds (use the white poppy seeds, if possible, but if you can't find these the black seeds are fine)
- ½ cup dry coconut (copra) (shredded or broken into small pieces. This is a kind of coconut that's been dried before use. It has a different flavor from fresh coconut.)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a small skillet. Roast the masala ingredients until lightly brown and fragrant. Fry the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and coconut last and keep a close eye on it because it can burn in an instant.
- Cool, powder in a spice grinder, and store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Panch Phoron (Bengali Five Spice Mix)
Perhaps the simplest of the spice mixes, because there's no grinding involved. Also easy to remember-- you need the five spices in the same proportions. The five spices of Panch Phoran create incredible culinary alchemy when used together, complimenting and mingling with each other perfectly to enhance the main dish.
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Servings: 5 tablespoons
Calories: 22kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp nigella seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.
Nutrition
Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Rajasthani Garam Masala
A spice mix unique to the Indian state of Rajasthan
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Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 32kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ajwain seeds (carom seeds)
- 1 black cardamom pod
Instructions
- Roast the spices on a dry skillet over medium heat, about five minutes or until the spices turn a few shades darker and fragrant.
- Grind to a powder in a spice grinder and store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Dhansak Masala
This powdered spice mix is used to make dhansak, an aromatic dal dish that hails from India's Parsi community.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 17kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 red chillies
- 2 black cardamom pods
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 1- inch stick of cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric
Instructions
- In a dry skillet, over medium heat, roast all the ingredients except the turmeric. When the spices start to exude an aroma, in about 5-7 minutes, and the coriander seeds are a couple of shades darker, turn off the heat.
- Add the spices to a coffee grinder with the turmeric. Process into a fine powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Caribbean Spice Mix
This spice mix is perfect to sprinkle into curries and vegetable sides for a striking, Caribbean flavor.
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Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 62kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 5 cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Instructions
- Heat a dry skillet on medium heat. Toast the spices together until a couple of shades darker. Powder in a coffee grinder.
Nutrition
Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4.7mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Trinidadian Spice Mix
A spicy mix for curries, stews and rubs.
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Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 27kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 10-15 black peppercorns
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
Instructions
- Roast all the spices together in a small, dry skillet until they turn a couple of shades darker. Be vigilant and stay with them-- you don't want them to burn.
- Grind into a fine powder in a coffee grinder or spice grinder. Store any unused spice mix in an airtight jar in a dark place.
Nutrition
Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Vegan Thai Green Curry Paste
An aromatic curry paste to make delicious Thai dishes in a hurry
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Servings: 3 uses (approx)
Calories: 429kcal
Equipment
- Small skillet, blender or food processor
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1-inch piece ginger (sliced)
- ¾ cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
- 12 green chili peppers (like serrano. Jalapeno is fine too)
- 3 stalks lemon grass (chop and use lower bulbous part only -- discard the woody tops)
- 4 large shallots (sliced)
- 10 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 lime (zest and juice)
- 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small skillet, roast the cumin, coriander, fennel and peppercorns until lightly fragrant, about five minutes.
- Place the dry spices in a blender or food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process into a smooth paste.
- Store the paste or any unused portion in an airtight jar in the freezer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1use (to serve approx 6-8 people) | Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 39g | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 16.8mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4.8mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Vegan Thai Red Curry Paste
A vegan Thai red curry paste without fish sauce, but just as tasty.
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Servings: 3 uses
Calories: 213kcal
Ingredients
- ½ onion (diced)
- 3 red chili peppers
- 1-inch piece galangal , sliced thinly (use ginger as a substitute)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (trim the top and the hard outer leaves and slice finely. If you can't use this, use the zest of two limes instead)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in the grinder but add just enough oil to keep the blades moving. Add the rest of the oil if needed, to make a fairly smooth paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 788mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Vegan Thai Yellow Curry Paste
A vegan Thai yellow curry paste without fish sauce
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 139kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Thai bird's eye chilies (or other hot red chili peppers)
- 2 stalks lemongrass (use juice of 2 limes and their zest as a substitute)
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 shallots
- 1-inch piece galangal (use ginger if you can't find this)
- 1 small plum tomato
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1-inch piece cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ cup coconut milk
Instructions
- Place all ingredients and ½ cup of the coconut milk in a blender bowl. Blitz into a smooth paste, adding more coconut milk if needed to keep the blades moving.Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 514mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3.3mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Harissa Paste
A recipe for vegan Harissa paste from Morocco
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Servings: 4 uses
Calories: 201kcal
Ingredients
- 15 red chilies (soaked for about 2 hours and then drained)
- 8 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
Instructions
- Roast the cumin and coriander seeds lightly in a skillet.
- Add the cumin and coriander along with other ingredients to a food processor. Process into a fairly smooth paste. You can freeze the remaining paste in an air-tight jar.
Nutrition
Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1605IU | Vitamin C: 244.6mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Berbere
Berbere is a vibrantly red Ethiopian spice mix used to make recipes like Doro Wat.
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Servings: 2 uses
Calories: 13kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup dry red chili peppers
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1- inch stick cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger powder
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 3 cloves
- 2 allspice berries
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Process to a fine powder in a blender and store in an air-tight jar.
Nutrition
Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1675IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.7mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Balti Sauce
Balti Sauce is a spice paste used in Britain, that originated in the country's Pakistani community. It works great as a base for "meaty" vegetables and curries.
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Servings: 3 uses
Calories: 80kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 2 small bay leaves
- 3 dry red chilies
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 3 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 medium tomato , diced
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat a skillet. Dry-roast the bay leaves, coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and chilies until they are slightly darker and fragrant, about three to four minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove the ingredients to a blender, and to the hot skillet add the turmeric, curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder and ginger powder. Stir a bit to roast in the hot skillet without turning on the heat. Add to the blender.
- Add the vinegar, tomato and oil to the blender. Blend into a very smooth paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.3mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Kadai Masala
A Kadai Masala recipe for dishes like Kadai Tofu Paneer.
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Servings: 1 use
Calories: 79kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 1-inch stick cinnamon , broken into small pieces
- 2 tbsp kasoori methi
- 3 dry red chili peppers
Instructions
- In a pan, roast all of the dry-roast ingredients until fragrant and the coriander is a couple of shades deeper. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then grind into a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.
Nutrition
Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 4.7mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Tikka Masala Curry Paste
A spicy, saucy Tikka Masala Curry Paste that you can store in the refrigerator or freezer and pull out during busy days to make a tasty meal in under 15 minutes.
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Servings: 3 uses
Calories: 156kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion , chopped
- 8 cloves garlic , crushed and roughly chopped
- 1- inch knob of ginger , peeled and chopped
- 2 tomatoes , chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp sugar
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 8 cloves
- 1-inch stick cinnamon , broken into pieces
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup cashews , soaked for 30 minutes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a nonstick pan. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Stir until he cardamom begins to turn lightly golden, about two minutes.
- Add the cumin and coriander seeds and stir-fry for a few more minutes until the coriander starts to darken slightly.
- Add the onions, ginger, garlic, a pinch of salt, and sugar. Stir-fry over medium heat until the onions start to turn brown.
- Add the kasoori methi, tomato paste and tomatoes and mix well. Add ¼ cup of water, cover, and let the mixture cook about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are really mushy and most of the water has evaporated.
- Let the mixture cool, then transfer to a blender along with the soaked cashews.
- Blend into a smooth paste, adding a little water, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary to keep the blades moving.
- Scrape into an airtight jar and store in the refrigerator if you plan to use within a week, or in the freezer if you want to keep it for longer. Thaw out before using.
- Next, stay tuned for a curry using this tikka masala curry paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 845IU | Vitamin C: 20.3mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3.2mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Ras el hanout
A fragrant Moroccan spice mix with all spice, coriander, cumin, paprika, and more. Use it in tagines and stews.
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Servings: 3 uses
Calories: 15kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp all spice corns
- ½ tsp cloves
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a spice grinder and grind into a coarse powder. Preserve in an air-tight jar at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 15kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?I'd love to see! Tag me on Instagram @holycowvegan and be sure to hashtag it #holycowvegan.
Made this delicious spice mix for the first time tonight and loved it. I didn't dry-roast the kasoori methi though - should I have?
Hi Robert, which one did you make? Was it the biryani masala? There are a few other spice mixes here with kasoori methi.
Hi great spice mixes. It comes in handy to follow through.
I love the yin yang spice box. Do you know where I can find it ?
Thanks,
Vijay
Hi Vijay, it was sold by a company called Gitadini.
Hi Vaishali,
It's been a while since I've written but I went to make bhaji today only to find that I dont have enough of the Bhaji Masala. Do you have a mix you could post or a good substitution?
Thanks!
Hi Herb, I'll try and get something up soon, but meanwhile you could use garam masala.
Hi Vaishali, just made a big batch of your South Indian chickpea curry masala. This is the ONLY way I cook chickpeas after I discovered that recipe. Came here looking for Thai paste recipe without too many specialty ingredients, and I found this treasure. Chickpeas in thai paste might be just one more recipe I am willing to try out 🙂 You Rock! Thanks for sharing your talent with the whole wide world
Awesome, Radhika, and I have just the recipe for you. 🙂 This is one of my favorites in a rush. https://holycowvegan.net/vegan-thai-curried-chickpeas-thai-red-curry-paste/
Thanks so much for creating these! They are incredible. My family is from India but I was born in the US so I have little experience cooking indian food except for buying the store mixed "kitchen king" type of spice blends when my husband and I make indian food for dinner. This will be so helpful for us!!!
Malavika, so happy to hear!
Thrilled to find these spice recipes while browsing your site. Wonderful to have them all in one place. Thank you.
Glad it's useful! 🙂
This is such an incredible resource, Vaishali. I have almost stopped buying spice mixes in the store. So much better to make your own. And the best part is it takes so little time.
Hi V!!
What a fantastic collection of spice recipes! This is superb. I grind my own spices, because I like the fresh stuff. These look outstanding. Thank you very much for this. I wanted to order a new grinder, but I have to use the Canadian amazon website. We can order from that one, but it will cost a small fortune. Rats.
I am still waiting for you to open a vegan restaurant here in Toronto....lol xoxo
Haha, thanks Mary. 😀
I've seen this masala dabba at