Masālā

Spice Blends

Appears in

Plant-Based India: Nourishing Recipes Rooted in Tradition

Published 2022

About

Store-bought spice blends from Indian grocery stores are a completely reasonable option (I use them, too), but mastery of the four spice blends in this chapter will take your cooking to a new level. Spices can take your health to a new level, too! Turmeric and cardamom have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Cumin has even been shown to play a role in weight loss as well.³¹

Making these spice blends at home from whole spices will ensure a freshness that surpasses any store-bought variety. They appear in the recipes throughout this book, and you’ll find that they are the building blocks for numerous other spice blends you can make to suit your own tastes. I recommend using a spice grinder (or a coffee grinder used only for spices) for the best results. These spice blends can also be made with a mortar and pestle, but it will take much more time and effort. Store the ground spices in an airtight container for up to 3 months, but since the recipes make smaller batches, you can use them up quickly to ensure their freshness.