A medley of whole and powdered Indian spices that give it a distinct texture and taste. Here is the complete list -

Kashmiri Red Chillies - available as whole dried chillies or in the form of a powder. While they will not add a very deep red colour to anything, they are certainly an option if nothing else is available as they are not too hot. If you cannot find alkanet, use any of the options given above. They work quite well in this recipe. Green Cardamom— A trendy spice in every household, green Cardamoms are used in the masala mix for their flavor and exotic aroma. It lends a slightly sweet, warm, spicy touch with a fresh and delightful aroma.Dry roast— Dry roast the spices on a medium-low flame in a heavy-bottomed wide pan. Do not turn the flame on high, as it may burn away the spices. I simply cook it on the grill in the summer or place it in a roaster with a tight lid in the winter. The next part is what will take the flavour profile from yum to oh my gosh I cannot stop eating this. Having mixed Pakinese kids (half Pakistani, half Guyanese, fully Canadian) meant that it was important to me to introduce them to delicious traditional dishes from their grandparent’s cultures. I also wanted to balance our meal plan with our own favourites dishes (Mexican, Italian, Chinese and Canadian eh?). I’m all about fusion food in my home. If it tastes good, then why not mix it up and discover something new and delicious? There’s a time and place for everything. Your kitchen is the place. This is the time. Tandoori masala is so worth the effort. Try it. You’ll see. Small batches are best for tandoori masala

Nutmeg Powder— Nutmeg enriches the masala with its distinctive warm and nutty flavor and also with its added citrusy notes.I’m feeling the shame here though. The hypocrisy is almost more than I can bear. Almost. I’m bad. I use food colouring when I take pictures for glebekitchen. And that makes me a little crazy. Commercial tandoori masala is made to season meat right before it hits the grill. Nothing else. We do first eat with our eyes. It’s your kitchen. Your call. I’m about flavour. Colour is up to you. I like to keep my batches small. Use it up. While it’s still amazing. And then make some more. Tandoori masala from scratch

Except for one ingredient. Amchoor. Ground dried mango powder. There’s a tang to tandoori masala. It’s important. Critical even. Alter any spice— Every spice adds a distinct flavor and aroma to the spice mix. Among these assorted spices, some are overly flavorful or warm. If you find any herb stronger and overpowering the fragrance or flavor of other spices, feel free to modify the quantity of that particular spice. Examples of such spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc.Food coloring— Sometimes, color additives are added to food color to attain a deep red color. But if you are looking for a natural food color, try beetroot powder, which works great. Lately, I have been using beetroot powder in my tandoori recipes, which gives my dishes a beautiful color.

Customizable— The best part of preparing any masala mix at home is that you can customize it the way you want. If you’re going to reduce the quantity of any particular spice, you can freely do that. Feel free to omit it if you don’t have a liking for it. Coriander seeds— This spice forms the base ingredient of our Tandoori masala mix. It brings about a subtle woody flavor that is so peculiar to it. It also helps blend the flavors of other spices while lending an impactful character. That tang has to come from somewhere. Cheaper blends use citric acid. The better ones use amchoor. I’m going with amchoor. Red doesn’t mean anything It does scale though. If you need a lot of it just use the slider in the recipe card. You can make a kilo of it if you want.

Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)— Not only are fenugreek seeds used as the flavor-enhancing additive in dishes, but they also have several health benefits. They are only used in limited amounts due to their bitterness. This recipe does not make a lot of tandoori masala. And there’s a reason for that. The wonder that fresh ground spices brings does not last forever. It fades.