Mamta's Kitchen

Chaat Masala Mix, A Hot Spice Mix for Chaat

Chat Masala

Abha Gupta

EasyFree From GarlicFree From GingerFree From OnionFree From TomatoIndianVeganVegetarian

Chaat masala is a mix of hot and tangy spices. It is used to spice up many street snacks, salads, fruit salads, fruit juices, and some curries. Just sprinkle 1-2 tsp. on your fruit/vegetable salad, squeeze a little lemon juice/good vinegar like balsamic vinegar, mix thoroughly and enjoy! You can make this masala in advance and store it in a jar. Most people buy it ready made these days, sold in packets. Ready made one is quite good and very often used by professional chefs, but home made is your own, to suit your taste..

The word chaat means lip-smacking, spicy, tangy. The word masala means a spice-mix in Hindi. Generally, the word Chaat is used for a collection of savoury and highly spicy snacks that make you lick /smack your lips, sort of 'finger licking' good! Chaat was traditionally sold by street hawkers in India but now many restaurants have it on their menu. Chaats comes under a group of foods known as 'Indian Street Foods'.

Edited June 2020

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. cumin seeds

  • 2 tbsp. whole, dry red chillies

  • 2 tbsp. coriander seeds

  • 1 tbsp. black pepper, whole or ground. Whole gives better flavour.

  • 2 tbsp. black salt or kala-namak. If you can't get it, use rock salt or ordinary salt

  • 1 tbsp. ordinary table salt

  • A pinch of edible citric acid powder

  • 1 tbsp. dry mango powder/amchoor or anardana/dry pomegranate seed powder. You can omit it, if you don't have it.

  • 1 tbsp. ginger powder

  • 1 tbsp. Garam Masala

  • 1/2 tsp. hing or hing or asafoetida powder, dry roasted on a girdle for a few minutes

Instructions

  1. Dry roast cumin and coriander seeds on a griddle or tava or in a pan, until browned and an aroma rises; you will know when you smell it!

  2. Add whole chillies and continue roasting for a minute or two. Chillies burn very quickly, so be careful, keep stirring/turning over.

  3. Place all ingredients in a grinder and grind to a powder. You can keep it a little coarse, if you use it mainly on fruit chaat.

  4. Keep in an airtight jar.

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