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.
I’ve also left out the salt – I think saltiness is deeply personal. Read the comments of most store-bought tandoori spice mixes and they’ll mention the same thing – it’s too salty! It’s easier to leave it out and you can add it to the dish as per your taste.
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.
It’s important to wait until the spices have cooled a little. Then, grind down in a spice grinder.
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.
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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.
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.
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