Go Back

Indian Spice Blend - Achāri Masala

This versatile Indian spice blend is spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. Add it to your vegetables, paneer and more!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling and blending time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Spice Blend
Cuisine Indian

Equipment

  • 1 Spice Grinder
  • 1 Blender spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 2 teaspoon Nigella Seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
  • 3 tablespoon Mustard Seeds
  • 5 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
  • 3 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
  • 4 tablespoon Fennel Seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Aamchur (Dry Mango) Powder
  • 15 Indian red Chillis
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Hing(Asafoetida) powder

Instructions
 

  • Heat a wide, flat pan at medium low heat. Add all the whole spices and let it sit for 30-45 seconds before lightly sautéing.
  • If you have a smaller pan, then you can add a couple of spices at a time to dry roast them until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Keep sautéing regularly to ensure the spices don't burn.
  • Put them aside to cool. Remove and repeat with other spices until they are all done.
  • Once all the whole spices are dry roasted, let it cool down until they are ready to be ground.
  • Now add the roasted spices to a spice blender or a small blender. Also add the turmeric and hing.
  • Blend till the entire spice blend is ground smoothly. Stop and check if the spices need to be moved round in the blender to ensure they are not stuck under the blades etc.
  • Store in a dry and clean glass or stainless steel jar for up to 6 months at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Paneer is a popular Indian non-melting cheese and Halloumi is a Cypriot non-melting cheese which is is much saltier than paneer. 
  2. Ensure all the spices are properly browned. Keep moving the spices around to ensure all of it gets exposed to the heat. 
  3. If you are unable to find Indian red chillis, then I would suggest using chilli powder. Kashmiri red chilli powder is one type which provides a lovely red color while being quite mild. 
  4. If you are new to cooking with these spices and wondering what to do with the rest of the whole spices, store them in a glass or stainless steel containers for future use. Check out other Indian recipes on my blog or others you enjoy. 
Keyword achāri masala, indian pickiling spices, indian spice blend, north indian spice blend