Hyderabadi masala (Spice mix)

I really love Hyderabadi cuisine and have prepared a lot of Hyderabadi dishes. I love them as they are spicy and the perfect flavor of sweet and spice. This is a Hyderabadi spice mix which can be added to the dishes instead of the usual garam masala to enhance the flavor of dishes manifold. Not just in Hyderabadi dishes, a bit of this can also be added to the usual dishes to redefine the flavors.

Ingredients:

Cinnamon: 4 sticks (big)
Black pepper: 4 tsp.
Green cardamom: 6
Saffron: 1 tsp.
Cloves: 8
Nigella seeds: 2 tsp.

1. Dry roast all the ingredients except saffron. Don't discard the covers of cardamom. 
2. Let cool. 
3. Grind all the dry roasted ingredients along with saffron to form a coarse powder. 
4. Store in air tight container at room temperature. 
5. Use in Hyderabadi dishes in place of garam masala. 

Hyderabadi dishes from the blog:

Hyderabadi kofta curry

Hyderabadi vegetable dum biryani

Baby onion ka salan

Hyderabadi mirch ka salan

Qubooli biryani (Hyderabadi layered biryani)

Hyderabadi chicken curry

Hyderabadi chicken biryani

Soup Spice Mix (Soup masala)

Soup is a lot like family: each ingredient enhances the others, each batch has its own characteristics; and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavor.
- Marge Kennedy.

Soups and winters go hand in hand. And that's the reason I got a Soup Maker as a Valentine's day present from my husband. I've been trying a lot of soup recipes ever since and it's warm and comforting in these cold, snowy evenings. Sometimes I try to replace my dinner with a hot, comforting bowl of soup these days. It's warm, flavorful and healthy. But here's the soup spice mix that makes my soup delicious.

This soup spice mix is made of Indian spices and Indian spices are well known for their wonderful properties if consumed in limited amounts. So here's the mix made with these spices: just add a tsp. of this spice mix while your soup is simmering and feel the difference.

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds: 2 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp.
Cinnamon: 3 sticks
Cloves: 8
Black peppercorns: 2 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp.
Dry coriander leaves powder: 1 tsp.
Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp.

1. Dry roast all the ingredients except dry coriander leaves powder and asafoetida: cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and fenugreek. 
   
   
2. Remove from heat and let cool. 
3. Grind to a fine (or coarse) powder. Add the dry coriander leaves (crushed) and asafoetida. Mix everything well. 
4. Store in an air tight container and add a tsp. or more (according to choice) of this amazing spice mix while your soup is simmering and feel the difference in taste!  

Check out more spice mix recipes from Brijdeep's Kitchen:

Biryani Masala

Chai Masala

Chana masala powder

Dhansak masala

Kolhapuri masala

Masala spice mix

Punjabi Garam Masala

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Biryani Masala

It's been a long while I have been experimenting with various types of biryanis: both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Most of the times I just add garam masala for the taste and earlier I used to add the store bought garam masala but was never satisfied with the taste of either. Recently I asked my Nani if she knows to prepare biryani masala at home. I was not sure because I have never known her making biryani of any kind but she did have a recipe for the masala! Lucky me, right? I instantly penned down her recipe for the masala and recently made this flavorful spice powder. My house was filled with the aromatic essence of spices and the final spice powder is dark brown in color, and smells so awesome I can't describe in words; you just have to prepare it to experience the heavenly aroma.

When I had this spice powder, immediately the next day I prepared a Hyderabadi Fish Biryani using this biryani powder, and trust me, it tasted so wonderfully awesome with a taste I have never had before. I'm never going back to adding simply garam masala or using store bought ones for my biryani recipes.

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds: 2 tsp.
Caraway seeds (Shahi jeera): 2 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp.
Black peppercorns: 1 tsp.
Black cardamom: 1
Green cardamom: 2 (with cover)
Nutmeg powder: 2 heaped pinches
Mace: 1
Dried red chilli: 3
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi): 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Cloves: 4
Dagad phool: 2 (if available; I did not have it so did not add it)
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch

1. Dry roast the following one by one on a medium-low flame: cumin seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, dried red chili, cinnamon and cloves. 
2. Let cool and mix all the ingredients (dry roasted and others) and grind to a fine powder. I used my coffee jar for grinding. 
3. Sieve through a muslin cloth and store in a dry and air-tight container. It stays good for very long time. No need to refrigerate. 

I know for sure after you have made this biryani spice powder, you will totally be craving to prepare a biryani asap.. so here are the 13 biryani recipes I have blogged till date. There are many more I have tried but have not been able to write the recipes, will keep on updating this post as I share more biryani recipes. 

Vegetarian:

Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani

Malabar vegetable dum biryani

Qubooli Biryani

Spicy Vegetable biryani

Non-vegetarian:

Ambur Chicken Biryani

Dindigul Chicken Biryani

Hariyali fish biryani

Hyderabadi chicken biryani

Malabar Dum chicken biryani

Malabar Fish Biryani

Mughlai Chicken biryani

Simple chicken biryani

Zafrani Chicken biryani

How to use the biryani masala: Just add one heaped teaspoon every cup of rice in any biryani recipe. Just add a little more powder if you like more strong flavor. Add half a teaspoon of this powder to any rice preparation and feel the difference! 

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Chana Masala Powder

My Nani always, always makes her own spices at home in the most traditional way; in a stone mortal-pestle. She sometimes wonders at the fact that people don't make their own spices when they so easily can; but she doesn't know that not everyone is gifted with the most wonderful art of proportioning the whole spices to create a wholesome and wonderful flavor.

She makes masalas for every dish; you name it. Tandoori masala, paneer masala, chicken masala, rajma masala and what not !! I'm lucky to have her for all her awesome spice recipes but I can only note down and prepare a few at a time. So this time I have learnt Chana Masala spice powder from her which we specially just use in Punjabi Style Black chana masala curry to exponentially enhance the flavor of the curry. You can use this spice mix as a garam masala as well if you wish but my nani says no because this is just "Chana Masala".

Other spice recipes on the blog:

Punjabi Garam masala
Kolhapuri Masala
Dhansak Masala
Chai Masala
Masala Spice mix

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds: 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 2 tsp.
Green cardamom (with outer cover): 2
Black peppercorns: 1 tsp.
Cloves: 4
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Dried red chilli: 2
Dried ginger root: 1 tsp.
Black Salt: 1 tsp.
Pomegranate seeds (anardana): 1 tsp. (Use mango powder if you don't have anardana)

1. Dry roast all the whole spices on a pan on medium flame: coriander, cumin, green cardamom (roast seeds and cover both), peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, dry red chilli, ginger root and pomegranate seeds.
2. Let cool and grind to a fine powder.
3. Add the black salt and mix everything well. Also add mango powder at this stage if you didn't use pomegranate seeds. 
4. Store in a air-tight container and use 2 tsp. of this masala everytime you prepare the Punjabi Chana Masala curry.

Recipe for chana masala: Black Chana Curry recipe 

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Dhansak Masala

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Dried red chilli: 1
Shah Jeera: 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp.
Star anise: 1
Peppercorns: 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds: 1 tsp.
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Cloves: 3
Bay leaves: 2
Mace: 1
Nutmeg: 1
Aniseed: 1 tsp.

Dry roast all the ingredients. Cool and grind to a fine powder and store in an air-tight container. Use this powder for a different taste to stir-fry vegetables, pulao, veg and non-veg curries. I had used this for Olive Green Chicken (recipe coming soon).

Chai Masala

This is a love-story. A story of anger and love intermixed. A soulful touch.


My Nani-ji is great. This is no news.

Now let me begin the story: It was hubby's birthday 2 weeks ago and Nani Ji is totally amazing at remembering dates, anniversaries, birthdays etc. Heck she can even tell what day of the month Holi/ Diwali was 10 years ago !! So she called up my parents, who in turn called me. And me, totally sick with a sore throat and fever and headache, could not take the call. So they called hubby instead (it was his birthday anyway !) They wished and told him Nani wants to talk as well. I asked him to call and take blessings and say something that I'm in the washroom or outside home or something (because, well, she would have panicked to hear I'm sick). So he did but she was adamant on waiting till I come back and reminded him that she will wait for my call.. So I'm doomed !! I can't speak as well so even though I was feeling guilty, there was no way I could have called her. And that went on and it has been 2 weeks and I'm still sick (sore throat and dry coughing) but getting better. And I was full of guilt that she might have been waiting for 2 weeks so first thing I did the weekend morning to ring her up. And boy she was angry !!! She said obviously you were not in the washroom for 2 whole weeks so what took you so long? And explanation was demanded. And there was no escape. So I decided to go on with the truth: told her I was really sick and I still am. 

So she was mad for not letting her know for two whole weeks. I tried reasoning she cannot help it and could have only panicked. And she was like, whattttt ??? Of course I can help it. Obviously I know the remedy. You don't have my chai masala recipe, do you? No I said, and there she with her anger- filled love made me write the recipe and made sure I make this tea twice a day and drink it up. I am yet to have it for the second time but well, I'm already feeling so much nicer (not great actually, but feels like it's gonna be great). She was mad, she was angry, she was so much full of love.. I don't know what I would do without her !!! Love you Nani.

Here goes the recipe:

Cinnamon sticks: 5

Black peppercorns: 1 tsp.

Cloves: 6

Black cardamom: 2

Tulsi leaves: 10-12

Dried ginger root: a pinch

1. Grind the cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves to a very fine powder in a blender. 
2. Mix in the ginger root (this is optional) and tulsi leaves. You can also add them directly to the tea.
3. While you make your usual tea, add a heaped pinch of the spice powder and boil the tea for a bit longer. You can add ginger root and tulsi leaves directly in the boiling tea. I had dried tulsi but fresh is the best. 
4. You may also add crushed fresh ginger to the boiling tea which gives a fast soothing effect. Make this tea twice a day and remember to drink it while it is still hot. Store the tea masala in an air-tight box.

Punjabi Garam Masala

When it comes to spices, home-made spices are always preferred over store bought ones. Whenever I get time, I try to make batches of masalas and store in air-tight containers for long time use. Last month I made Kolhapuri Masala which was another flavourful spice powder I used for Kolhapuri Chicken curries, also for other non-vegetarian preparations. 

But Kolhapuri Masala is way too strong for making Indian vegetarian curries, so I restricted that powder only to non-vegetarian dishes (which I do regularly). So I have been thinking to make my own Punjabi style garam masala. Today finally I got the time to do so, I had a written recipe from my nani, followed that and made this aromatic masala.

Ingredients:

Black peppercorns: 1 tsp.

Cloves: 6

Bay leaves: 3 

Nutmeg: 1

Cinnamon sticks: 3

Cumin seeds: 2 tsp.

Coriander seeds: 2 tsp.

Green cardamom: 2

Black cardamom: 3

1. Dry roast all the ingredients one by one on medium flame, be careful not to burn the whole spices. 
   
2. Cool them and grind together to a fine powder. I also did grind the green cardamom outer cover, it could be rejected if you wish.
3. Sieve it through a fine cloth or a fine sieve to sieve out the coarse particles. Transfer this powder to a glass air tight container. Store in a cool and dry place, away from light. This can be added to various dishes such as Punjabi Rajma Masala, Black chana masala, Lehsuni Dal Tadka and many other vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian preparations. 

Kolhapuri Masala

For long I have been wanting to make my own garam masala as every weekend I prepare chicken dishes so wanted to use my own. But when I hit upon a Kolhapuri Chicken recipe which uses Kolhapuri Masala, I set off to prepare the same. To my utter disbelief, this used more spices than used in garam masala, so it ought to be tasting different. But yes, can be used as garam masala in curries, and that's exactly what I'm going to do until I prepare my own garam masala.

 
Ingredients:
(use all ingredients according to the amount of masala you need to prepare. I took a tsp. of each and got a lot of powdered masala.)

Coriander seeds
Cumin seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Sesame seeds
Fennel seeds
Poppy seeds
Shahi Jeera (Caraway seeds)
Badi Elaichi
Bay leaves
Mace (Javitri)
Cinnamon
Star Anise
Black Mustard
Cloves
Black Peppercorns
Cardamom (With cover)
Saffron
Asafoetida
Turmeric powder
Jaiphal

1. Dry roast all the ingredients on medium flame for about 5-6 minutes except asafoetida, saffron and turmeric. 
2. Let cool and grind to a fine paste. Mix in asafoetida, saffron and turmeric. Store in a airtight container and use as garam masala for Indian curries.

Masala Spice Mix

Masala spice mix is the mix spices which are usually used in Indian recipes which call for masala filling, typically called "bharwan"; which includes "bharwan bhindi", "bharwan karela", "bharwan baingan", "bharwan tinde".. and so on.. So I prepare this spice mix to use for those recipes which call for masala filling. Ideally this masala must be freshly prepared, but can be stored easily just like other spices, if prepared at once. Can be stored in an airtight container or zip-lock bags.

The ingredients which are mixed in this spice mix are:

1. Salt
2. Red chilli powder
3. Turmeric powder
4. Coriander powder
5. Cumin powder
6. Mango powder
7. Garam masala
8. Asafoetida (a pinch)
9. Black pepper powder (a pinch)
10. Kasoori Methi

Add all ingredients according to taste, because everyone's taste buds differ.. so the proportions can't be fixed. Make sure not to use a lot of asafoetida and black pepper powder though.