Staple Corner: How to Make Your Own Chat Masala Powder

Chat masala is a very popular spice blend in northern India where it is often tossed with fruit or chickpeas to make simple "chat" snacks sold by street vendors. While there are dozens if not hundreds of recipes for chat masala, dried mango or amchoor powder and black salt are essential ingredients — these are combined with various seeds and spices to create a wonderfully hot, sour and salty mixture that is absolutely delicious with cool or tangy foods. Chat masala is a favourite of mine when sprinkled on fresh tomatoes or hard-boiled eggs, or incorporated into summer salad dressings. If you haven't tried chat masala already, you will be in for a treat.

Good pre-blended and packaged chat masalas are always available in Indian grocers, but making your own is always a preferred option for freshness and for experimenting with flavours — besides which, it only takes minutes to prepare a batch that will keep for months. This recipe comes from Yamuna Devi's indispensible treasury of authentic Indian cooking, Lord Krishna's Cuisine. Mango powder, black salt, garam masala and asafoetida are also available at Indian grocers, but rock salt is an acceptable substitute when black salt cannot be found.

Chat Masala Powder

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/2 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 tablespoon amchoor (dried mango) powder
1/2 tablespoon black salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Dry roast the cumin and fennel seeds in a small frying pan over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the cumin seeds darken a few shades. Toss in the asafoetida and stir in for a few moments. Remove from heat and grind in an electric coffee grinder until powdered. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to mix.

Store in an airtight jar. Makes approximately 1/4 cup.

Other spice blends and pastes from Lisa's Kitchen you will be sure to find indispensable:

Harissa
Chana Masala Powder
Garam Masala
Sambar Masala

On the top of the reading stack: Encounterby Milan Kundera

Audio Accompaniment: Marsen Jules