Spice blend · 10 minutes
Chaat Masala Recipe (Homemade Tangy Spice Mix)
Roast cumin well. Black salt. Amchur tang.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenChaat masala is the tangy, salty spice mix sprinkled on chaat, fruit, fries and kebabs. Shop versions are often flat. The fix is roasting cumin and coriander until dark and fragrant, using kala namak for the signature sulphur note, and plenty of amchur for tang.
The 3 laws of chaat masala
Why this recipe works
Raw cumin
Deep, smoky flavour.
Plain salt
Signature chaat taste.
No acid
Tang.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Masala
The NineFoods roast gauge
Is the cumin roasted?
Smell and look.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Roast
- Roast cumin, coriander, pepper and ajwain. Use the gauge above.
Grind
- Cool, grind with the rest, sift and jar.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Cumin under-roasted.
Fix next time
Roast darker.
Why
Little amchur.
Fix next time
Add more.
Why
Burnt spices.
Fix next time
Roast on low.
Why
Moisture.
Fix next time
Store airtight.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Black salt | Signature | No substitute |
| Amchur | Tang | Citric acid pinch |
| Dried mint | Freshness | Leave out |
| Hing | Depth | Leave out |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Use on
Chaat, fruit chaat, fries, raita and kebabs.
Store
Airtight 3 months.
Reheat
Not needed.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 20 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the cumin roasted) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Chaat Masala FAQ
What is in chaat masala?
Roasted cumin, coriander, black salt, amchur, mint and pepper.
What is kala namak?
Black salt with a sulphur aroma.
How long does it keep?
About 3 months.
Is it the same as garam masala?
No, chaat masala is tangy and salty.