Staple Corner: How to Make Your Own Chana Masala Powder

Chana masala powders are used for a tart, tangy, spicy and fragrant finish to Indian chickpea curries known themselves as chana masala or chole masala. Whenever possible, I prefer to make my own spice blends at home. Quality pre-blended varieties are available at Indian grocers, but it's much more fun to concoct your own mixture to complement your culinary creations and the flavors and aromas of seeds and spices crushed and ground right in your own kitchen can't be beat. I made this chana masala powder in preparation for the chana masala I will be featuring this week.

Amchoor powder and the other ingredients used in this recipe are easily available at Indian and Asian grocers. If you want to make your own garam masala, some recipes can be found here.

Homemade Chana Masala Powder

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on April 14, 2007 A wonderful tart, tangy and aromatic homemade spice blend for chickpea curries Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 2 tablespoons cumin seeds 2/3 teaspoons black cardamom seeds 1/3 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds 1 2/3 teaspoons black peppercorns 2 to 3 dried whole red chilies 1/3 teaspoons whole cloves   pinch of ground ginger pinch of mace pinch of nutmeg 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 teaspoon amchoor powder Instructions: Dry roast the seeds, peppercorns, chilies and cloves in a large frying pan over low heat until they begin to brown. Transfer to an electric coffee grinder with the ground spices and grind to a fine powder. Makes approximately 1/3 cup. The recipe can be increased if you want to make a larger quantity.