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Chaat masala or chat masala, is the most popular powdered spice mix and a beautiful blend of spicy, salty and tangy flavors, originating from south Asia. It has a tongue tickling taste and is mainly made up of cumin, coriander, red chilies, dried ginger (sonth), amchur (dried mango powder), black pepper and black salt (kala namak).
Chaat Masala instantly elevates the taste of any dish it is sprinkled on. Though there are many brands of chaat masala available in the market, but I always make my own chaat masala at home without any additives, or excess sodium. This way you exactly know what is inside and can control the amount of heat in it. Nothing beats the taste and smell of your own home-made masala!
Beyond its use in preparing papdi chaat, samosa chaat, chana chaat, fruit chaat, or dahi baray, this versatile spice mix can be sprinkled on salads, chargha, tandoori chops, chicken tikka, chicken wings or corn on the cob to give them just a bit more kick. Or spice up your lemonade with a pinch of it and you’ll love it.
Simple ingredients you’ll need to make this chaat masala:
A few easy steps to make your chaat masala:
Step 1:
Dry roast all the whole spices on low heat until they become aromatic and get golden brown color, stirring and shaking the skillet often.
Step 2:
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Step 3:
Grind the toasted spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Then add the rest of the ingredients to the spice grinder and grind again.
How long can I store this chaat masala?
- Label and store the masala in an airtight jar or bottle for later use. Keep it in a cool and dry place for up to 1 year.
- Make sure to use clean and dry spoon to take the required amount of spice powder from the jar to avoid contaminating the inside of the jar with unwanted bacteria.
How can I use chaat masala?
- We desi people love to sprinkle it on top of chana chaat, papri chaat, dahi baray, pakora, rolls, samosas, french fries, potato wedges, onion salad, kachumber salad, boiled potatoes and many more.
- Sprinkle it over sweet and spicy fruit chaat.
- Rub it on your corn on the cob along with some lemon.
- This versatile spice mix can be sprinkled on salads, chargha, tandoori chops, chicken tikka or chicken wings to give them just a bit more kick.
- I also like to sprinkle it on my avocado sandwich.
- Make a masala soda or add a pinch of this masala to your lemonade for an instant lift.
- Sprinkle on raw white radish or red carrots.
Bonus Tip: Put it in a glass jar, decorate with a pretty ribbon and it is such an amazing homemade gift.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- For best results, use fresh and good quality spices.
- Make sure to toast the spices on low heat to get the distinct flavor.
- Grind the spices at once or in a batch if your grinder has a low capacity.
- If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can make it the traditional way with mortar and pestle.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a larger batch.
Variations and Substitutes:
- For more reddish color, you can add kashmiri red chili powder or paprika powder.
- You can also add dried mint leaves for more flavor.
- If you find the masala too spicy, you could also use some brown sugar as a balance to heat of chilis and black peppercorns.
- Dried green mango powder or amchur provides tartness to this masala. You can substitute it with anardana or dried pomegranate seeds.
- You can also skip the tatri (citric acid).
- Some people also use hing or asafoetida in chat masala blend. This also spice provides a delicious flavor.
- The quantity of spices can easily be increased or decreased to make your own custom blend. It’s okay if you’re missing a spice or two.
Detailed Video Instructions:
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Ingredients
- Cumin Seeds – 4 tablespoons
- Coriander Seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Ajwain or Carom Seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Black Pepper (whole) – 1 tablespoon
- Button Red Chillies (whole) – 15 pieces
- Amchur or Dried Mango Powder – 3 tablespoons
- Ginger Powder or Sonth – 1 teaspoon
- Citric Acid (tatri) – 1 teaspoon
- Black Salt – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – 1 tablespoon
Instructions
Step by step recipe is given below:
- In a skillet, dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ajwain or carom seeds, black pepper corns, button red chillies on low heat until they become aromatic and get golden brown color, stirring and shaking the skillet often.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Now grind the toasted spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the spice grinder and grind again.
- Your chaat masala is ready to use.
- Transfer it to an air tight jar or bottle. Label and store in cool and dry place for later use.
Enjoy! And Remember ‘COOKING IS EASY’!
Notes
- For best results, use fresh and good quality spices.
- Make sure to toast the spices on low heat to get the distinct flavor.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a larger batch.
