Masala

An Indian spice mixture of which there are many regional specialities and spice combinations: garam masala, chaat masala (both opposite) and goda masala (pictured) are common, but every family has their own version. Masala (meaning ‘mixture’) may be dry or a wet paste, strong, mild or aromatic in flavour. In northern India, masala is generally made with dry spices, freshly roasted and ground. In southern India, the spices are usually ground when green with liquid such as coconut milk, lime or vinegar for dishes such as chicken tikka masala.