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    Home

    DIY Spice Mixes

    Indian Spice Box

    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
    • Curry Powder Recipe
    A flavorful homemade biryani masala spice mix that will reward you with delicious, fresh flavor for your biryani recipes. #spicemix #vegan #indian #masala HolyCowVegan.net

    Biryani Masala Spice Mix

    A homemade biryani masala spice mix takes minutes to make, and rewards you with amazing flavor. 
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 3 uses (approx)
    Calories: 91kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 
    US Customary - Metric

    • ¼ cup coriander seeds
    • 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon shah jeera (black cumin seeds)
    • 2 dry bay leaves
    • 1 teaspoon dagad phool (also called stone flower)
    • 2 inch cinnamon stick
    • 10 cloves
    • 1 teaspoon mace
    • 1 tablespoon peppercorns
    • 7 pods green cardamom pods
    • 2 pods black cardamom
    • 2 teaspoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
    • 2 tablespoon 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 teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon dry pomegranate seeds (anardana)
    • 4 dry plums (chopped into smaller pieces)
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    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 tablespoon (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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Biryani Masala Paste

    This Biryani Masala Paste is a great, aromatic spice mix to use in biryani and other rice dishes.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 20 mins
    Total Time: 25 mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 15kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    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 pods
    • 10 black peppercorns
    • 1 teaspoon aamchoor
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
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    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
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    Indian Spice Box

    Chana Masala spice mix

    A spice mix for popular restaurant recipes like Chana Masala and Rajma.
    5 from 7 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 10kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 6 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 3 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 3 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 3 dried bay leaves
    • 3 cloves
    • 6 green cardamom pods
    • 1 ½- inch piece of cinnamon
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    Instructions

    • Place all the ingredients in a spice grinder and process until you have a powder.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.5tablespoon | Calories: 10kcal
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Sambar Powder

    A mix of lentils and spices used to make the south Indian dal, Sambar, or Kuzhambu.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Tamil)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 10kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup coriander seeds
    • ⅓ cup black peppercorns
    • ⅓ cup tuvar dal
    • ⅓ cup chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
    • 1 heaping tablespoon fenugreek (methi) seeds
    • 1 heaping tablespoon mustard seeds
    • 8-10 dry red chillies
    • 2 tablespoon turmeric
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    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.

    Recipe 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
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    Indian Spice Box

    Rasam Powder

    A spice mix used to make the aromatic south Indian dal or soup, Rasam.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Tamil)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 12kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup coriander seeds
    • ⅓ cup tuvar dal
    • ⅓ cup black peppercorns
    • 3 tablespoon chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
    • 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 8-10 dry red chillies
    • 2 tablespoon turmeric
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    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: 1tablespoon | Calories: 12kcal
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Kolhapuri Masala

    A spice mix made with lavangi chilies from Kolhapur, in India.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtrian)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 130kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    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 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 8 cloves garlic
    • 1 large onion
    • 12 cloves
    • 12 green cardamom pods
    • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
    • 1 teaspoon mace
    • ¼ cup sesame seeds
    • 1 2- inch piece of cinnamon
    • 4 large bay leaves
    • 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 tablespoon turmeric
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    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.
    5 from 7 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtrian)
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 15 mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 63kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 4 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 4 cloves
    • 4 green cardamom pods
    • 4 1-inch sticks cinnamon
    • 4 dry bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon dagad phool (stone flower, optional)
    • 20 peppercorns
    • 2 tablespoon fennel
    • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
    • 1 tablespoon 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.)
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    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.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Bengali)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins
    Servings: 5 tablespoons
    Calories: 22kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Rajasthani Garam Masala

    A spice mix unique to the Indian state of Rajasthan
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Rajasthani)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 32kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds (carom seeds)
    • 1 black cardamom pod
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Dhansak Masala

    This powdered spice mix is used to make dhansak, an aromatic dal dish that hails from India's Parsi community.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian (Parsi/Zoroastrian)
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 17kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 2 red chillies
    • 2 black cardamom pods
    • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 1 1- inch stick of cinnamon
    • 4 cloves
    • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Caribbean Spice Mix

    This spice mix is perfect to sprinkle into curries and vegetable sides for a striking, Caribbean flavor.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Caribbean
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 62kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 2 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 5 cloves
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 2 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Trinidadian Spice Mix

    A spicy mix for curries, stews and rubs.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Trinidad
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 27kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 10-15 black peppercorns
    • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
    • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Vegan Thai Red Curry Paste

    A vegan Thai red curry paste without fish sauce, but just as tasty.
    5 from 7 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Thai
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 3 uses
    Calories: 213kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    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 tablespoon lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Vegan Thai Yellow Curry Paste

    A vegan Thai yellow curry paste without fish sauce
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Thai
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 139kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    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 tablespoon turmeric
    • 2 shallots
    • 1-inch piece galangal (use ginger if you can't find this)
    • 1 small plum tomato
    • 6 cloves garlic
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1-inch piece cinnamon
    • 2 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
    • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
    • ½ cup coconut milk
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Harissa Paste

    A recipe for vegan Harissa paste from Morocco
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Moroccan
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 4 uses
    Calories: 201kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    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 teaspoon 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Berbere

    Berbere is a vibrantly red Ethiopian spice mix used to make recipes like Doro Wat.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Ethiopian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 2 uses
    Calories: 13kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • ¼ cup dry red chili peppers
    • 1 tablespoon paprika
    • 1- inch stick cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger powder
    • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
    • 3 cloves
    • 2 allspice berries
    • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    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.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: British-Pakistani
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 3 uses
    Calories: 80kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • 4 green cardamom pods
    • 4 cloves
    • 2 small bay leaves
    • 3 dry red chilies
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • 3 teaspoon curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 medium tomato , diced
    • 2 tablespoon vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Indian Spice Box

    Kadai Masala

    A Kadai Masala recipe for dishes like Kadai Tofu Paneer.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 10 mins
    Servings: 1 use
    Calories: 79kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 3 cloves
    • 3 green cardamom pods
    • 1-inch stick cinnamon , broken into small pieces
    • 2 tablespoon kasoori methi
    • 3 dry red chili peppers
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Ras el Hanout spice mix for jackfruit lamb tagine

    Ras el hanout

    A fragrant Moroccan spice mix with all spice, coriander, cumin, paprika, and more. Use it in tagines and stews.
    5 from 6 votes
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    Course: Spice Mix
    Cuisine: Moroccan
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 5 mins
    Servings: 3 uses
    Calories: 15kcal
    Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

    Ingredients 

    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
    • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon all spice corns
    • ½ teaspoon cloves
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    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?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Robert Pennington

      June 09, 2021 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      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?

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        June 09, 2021 at 3:23 pm

        Hi Robert, which one did you make? Was it the biryani masala? There are a few other spice mixes here with kasoori methi.

        Reply
    2. Vijay

      July 29, 2020 at 2:23 am

      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

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        December 17, 2020 at 9:38 pm

        Hi Vijay, it was sold by a company called Gitadini.

        Reply
    3. Herb

      November 13, 2018 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        November 13, 2018 at 6:07 pm

        Hi Herb, I'll try and get something up soon, but meanwhile you could use garam masala.

        Reply
      • Radhika

        December 17, 2020 at 9:25 pm

        5 stars
        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

        Reply
        • Vaishali

          December 17, 2020 at 9:37 pm

          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/

          Reply
    4. Malavika

      June 29, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      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!!!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        December 17, 2020 at 9:38 pm

        Malavika, so happy to hear!

        Reply
    5. Glynis

      March 29, 2018 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      Thrilled to find these spice recipes while browsing your site. Wonderful to have them all in one place. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        December 17, 2020 at 9:39 pm

        Glad it's useful! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Radha

      May 18, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    7. Mary

      January 22, 2017 at 8:13 am

      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

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        December 17, 2020 at 9:40 pm

        Haha, thanks Mary. 😀

        Reply
    8. WonderWoman

      October 17, 2016 at 1:19 pm

      I've seen this masala dabba at

      Reply
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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I create easy, tasty recipes in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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