Our family chaat masala. This masala is used to sprinkle over snacks, vegetables, fruit and into drinks. This recipe is typical of New Delhi.
Every region of India has a different preparation of this and every family has their own recipe.
Asafoetida, amchur and black salt distinguish chaat masala from other masalas, giving the blend a sourness that makes it a welcome accompaniment to fresh fruit and other snacks.
All the spices mentioned are available from your Indian grocer. The black salt and amchur cannot be left out. Only buy the smallest packets of these that you can get. They are important, but not often used and will deteriorate if bought in large quantities and unused.
Now, you ask, what would I use such an interesting spice mix for? Firstly, it is not a substitute for garam masala. Secondly, it is not a spice mix to cook with. It is a condiment to add to certain kinds of dishes – and I will feature one such dish in our next post.
the recipe
ingredients
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1½ tsp carom seeds
- 2 tsp black peppercorn
- 4 tsp dried mango powder - (amchur)
- 3 tbsp black salt
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- ½ tsp asafoetida powder
instructions
- Toast the whole spices for two minutes or so in a medium hot pan until aromatic.
- Allow the spices to cool, then grind to a fine powder and mix well with the other spices.
notes
- This will keep for about one month in a small air-tight jar before losing flavour.
private notes
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i made this to make the fruit salad recipe – I now understand why store-bought spice mixes are just not good enough