My homemade Tandoori Masala is a mix of spice powders that can used for marinating and cooking in a tandoor or grilling. I toast the whole spices then grind down into a powder. I love that it’s red without neededing food colouring. It takes only 10 minutes and makes one small jars worth.
I love keeping jars of my own homemade spice mixes and this tandoori masala is one I reach for constantly. Having a ready-made blend on hand means you can whip up a tandoori marinade in minutes and create your favourite dishes — from tandoori paneer tikka to grilled vegetables, meat or fish — without any extra effort.
You can of course argue that it’s a lot more convenient to buy ready made but ultimately, homemade is a lot fresher and you can customise it to suit you. A bit like my hot madras curry powder and goda masala .
I recently made tandoori mogo (cassava/yucca) for a family get-together and had everyone asking for the recipe.
I love how versatile it is too. This tandoori masala powder isn’t just for marinating, I’ve used it as a seasoning for my tandoori fries .
Ingredient details
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
To develop this spice mix, I compared several well-known store-bought tandoori masalas and pulled out the most common, essential ingredients. Each one plays a specific role:
I make tandoori masala powder primarily with whole spices first and then grind down to make a powder. I find that the flavours are more robust and punchy that way. If you can only find these in powder form, use that instead.
- Kashmiri chilli powder – specifically kashmiri as it gives a deep red colour without using red food colouring. It’s also mild in heat so you can be generous when adding it.
- Coriander seeds & cumin seeds
- Cinnamon – cinnamon sticks.
- Mace – whole mace or mace powder.
- Green & black cardamom
- Black pepper corns
- Bayleaves
- Nutmeg – whole or in powder form.
- Kasoori methi – sold as dried fenugreek leaves. It’s this special ingredient that gives restaurant style flavour to Indian food.
- Dried ginger powder
- Black salt – also known as kala namak.
- Amchoor powder – dry mango powder which gives tart flavour – key in tandoori masala.
I have purposefully left out dried onion and garlic powder from this recipe because it is usually added fresh during marination. You absolutely can add it to your tandoori spice mix if you wish.
Storage
Once mixed, your tandoori masala will keep well for 2–3 months if stored in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place. Make a batch, label it, and you’ll always have the base for a quick, flavour-packed tandoori dish ready to go.
I tend to make a jam jar size at a time and try to use it up. If you make a massive batch, it will become stale.
Step by Step Method
The steps are easy to follow and over
In a dry pan, gently toast the whole spices. I’ve found that this mix of whole spices roughly toast at the same time, so you don’t need to worry about some burning whilst others are still raw.
You’ll be able to smell a gently toasted aroma. Try not to change the colour of the whole spices to prevent them going bitter. Once the heat is switched off, add the kasoori methi but do not continue to cook.
Toast whole spices
Add nutmeg + kasoori methi
Grind whole spices
It’s important to wait until the spices have cooled a little. Then, grind down in a spice grinder.
Ground spices
Add spice powders
Homemade tandoori masala
This step is optional but I highly recommend, sieve the ground spices through to get an even texture.
I do not toast the spice powders – I just mix those in with the ground spices.
Store away once totally cooled.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Tandoori Masala
Equipment
- Spice Grinder
- pan
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 5 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon black pepper corns
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick or 1 tablespoon powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon kasoori methi
Spice Powders
- 8 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoon dried ginger powder
- 2 tablespoon dried mango powder
- 1 tablespoon black salt
- 1 tablespoon mace powder
Instructions
- Heat a pan on low-medium heat. Gently toast the whole spices, whilst stirring, until they are aromatic. This will approximately take around 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Tip in the kasoori methi and nutmeg (if using whole) whilst the spices are still hot, but do not heat further. Allow the whole spices to cool for 5 minutes.
- Place in a spice grinder until you achieve a powder. Optionally sieve the powder for uniform consistency.
- Add in all the spice powders and mix together well.
- Store in an airtight container once totally cooled.
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Tandoori Masala
Equipment
- Spice Grinder
- pan
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 5 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon black pepper corns
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 bayleaf
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick or 1 tablespoon powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon kasoori methi
Spice Powders
- 8 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoon dried ginger powder
- 2 tablespoon dried mango powder
- 1 tablespoon black salt
- 1 tablespoon mace powder
Instructions
- Heat a pan on low-medium heat. Gently toast the whole spices, whilst stirring, until they are aromatic. This will approximately take around 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Tip in the kasoori methi and nutmeg (if using whole) whilst the spices are still hot, but do not heat further. Allow the whole spices to cool for 5 minutes.
- Place in a spice grinder until you achieve a powder. Optionally sieve the powder for uniform consistency.
- Add in all the spice powders and mix together well.
- Store in an airtight container once totally cooled.
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Follow my family recipe for homemade chai masala powder to make a comforting cup of Gujarati cha. You can make this mix in less than 5 minutes by grinding aromatic whole spices or with pre-prepared spice powders.
Put the kettle on love!
When I’m feeling fancy I’ll prepare either a steaming cup of Kadak Chai (strong Qatari style tea), Cardamom Chai (tea with crushed cardamom) or Masala Chai (Indian tea with the addition of spices).
These teas are generally made with whole spices and fresh ingredients (fresh ginger) that have been pounded in a pestle and mortar.
Tea in Gujarati households however, is made a little differently. We do not use whole spices but rather use a powdered tea masala that is directly added with the tea leaves.
Every household will have their own recipe and unique combination of spices. You can easily purchase this tea masala but the beauty of homemade is that you can tailor it to suit your tastes.
It’s this tea masala that we use daily when making our chai. It’s so much quicker to prepare because we’re not pounding a fresh batch of spices every time. The chai masala powder is boiled alongside tea and milk and optionally extra fresh ginger and sugar.
Typical Gujarati tea masala is made with ground cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger and black pepper only.
Ingredients for Gujarati Chai Masala Mix
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Follow this method if you are grinding down whole spices.
- Cinnamon bark
- Dry ginger powder – if you leave this out, use extra fresh ginger when preparing your cup of cha
- Green cardamom pods – you can use the seeds or the whole pod. I use the whole pod. Note, do not use black cardamom.
- Whole black peppercorns
- Whole cloves
Easy & Quick Chai Masala Powder
My Mum has always made chai masala powder by buying ready-made ground powders of each of the ingredients.
All you has to do is measure out the powders and simply mix together the blend of spices. Do this with a freshly bought packet of powder for better flavour.
How to make Homemade Chai Masala
Some recipes call to dry roast the spices first – I have not and do not find much difference in the taste.
I use a coffee grinder or spice grinder to grind down the whole spices until I achieve a fine powder. I do not sieve the masala as I will be sieving the tea.
Storage
Spice blends are best stored in an airtight container to increase their shelf life. Keep the container stored in a cupboard at room temperature away from moisture. The masala keeps well for a few months before loosing its potency.
How to make Gujarati Cha
Here is how to make a warming up of Gujarati style tea using your homemade masala chai spice mix.
- You will need a saucepan. To boiling water, add black tea leaves (or tea bags) and chai masala to extract the flavour. You do not need much chai masala – I use 0.5 teaspoon for 2 cups of tea but you can adjust this to suit your taste.
- You can also add more crushed fresh ginger and even holy basil (tulsi leaves) to the saucepan.
- Once the tea is boiling, pour in the milk and boil for a further minute.
- Optionally add sugar and continue to boil for a minute then switch off the heat.
- The tea must be sieved out prior to serving. Do not add the powder directly into a mug as it will make the tea grainy.
You can also use this as a chai spice in bakes and beverages.
Other Homemade Spice Powders
Mild Indian Curry Masala Powder
Hot Madras Curry Powder
Maharastra Goda Masala
Gujarati Dabeli Masala
Kesar Badam Milk Masala (Doodh Masala Powder)
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Chai Masala Powder
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cardamom powder or green cardamom pods
- ¼ cup ginger powder
- ¼ cup cinnamon powder or three 2 inch bark
- ⅛ cup black pepper powder or black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon clove powder or cloves
Instructions
Easy Tea Masala
- Measure out the spice powders and simply mix together and store in a jar or airtight container.
Chai Masala Recipe using whole spices
- Measure out your whole spices and place in a spice grinder.
- Grind down to a fine powder and store.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
