Homemade Sabji Masala Recipe

Ingredients

Whole Spices (To Roast)

• 4 tablespoons (20 grams) coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons (14 grams) cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon (3 grams) black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon (7 grams) fennel seeds
• 6 cloves
• 4 green cardamoms
• 2 black cardamoms
• 2 inches cinnamon stick
• 2 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
• 1 blade mace (javitri), optional
• 5 grams or 3 kashmiri red chillies
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) mustard seeds – optional for slight pungency
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg – crushed

Powdered Spices (To Mix)

• 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth powder)
• 2 teaspoons (4 grams) dry mango powder (amchur)
• 1 teaspoon (3 grams) turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder – or use dried garlic flakes while roasting, optional
• 1 teaspoon (7 grams) pink salt or edible rock salt or regular salt – optional

Steps

Roast The Spices

1. Put all the listed whole spices in a heavy kadai or frying pan and dry-roast over low to medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Keep them from browning.
2. Take the pan off the stove and set it on the kitchen counter.
3. Mix in all the listed ground spices, including salt, and combine thoroughly. The pan's residual heat will cook these ground spices.

Make Sabji Masala

1. Leave the spices to cool at room temperature.
2. Use a spice grinder, high-speed blender or sturdy mixer-grinder to turn them into a fine powder.

Storage Suggestions

1. Keep the Sabji Masala in a glass jar somewhere cool and dark, using it within 1 month for the best aroma and flavor.
2. In humid weather, refrigerate the Sabji Masala for storage.
3. Take out the masala with a clean, dry spoon every time. Moisture can make it clump and lose its flavor more quickly.

How to Use

1. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons to a sabzi dish serving 4 to 5 people, preferably after sautéing the onions and tomatoes or in the final cooking stage.
2. Use it in vegetable preparations such as aloo gobi, bhindi masala, capsicum sabji or baingan bharta, or curries such as matar paneer, vegetable curry and arbi masala.