A Punjabi-style blend of Kashmiri chilli, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, dried fenugreek leaf and warm spices, mixed with yoghurt as a marinade for tandoori chicken, tikka and paneer.
What it is¶
Tandoori masala is a spice blend designed to season meat, fish or paneer that is marinated in yoghurt and cooked in a tandoor, the cylindrical clay oven of Punjab and the north-west. Its colour comes from mild, bright red Kashmiri chilli (and, in many commercial blends, food colouring); its flavour from cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), warm spices and a tang of amchur or citric acid.
The powder alone is only half the story: it is mixed with yoghurt, lemon, oil and fresh ginger and garlic to make the marinade, and the meat is then cooked very hot, so the coating chars at the edges.
Origins¶
Tandoors are ancient in north-west South Asia and Central Asia, and bread has been baked in them for a very long time. Tandoori chicken as a restaurant dish is widely credited to Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran the Moti Mahal restaurant in Peshawar and, after Partition in 1947, in Delhi, where it became famous. The story is well established, though details vary between tellings.
Packaged tandoori masala followed the dish's popularity in India and abroad, particularly in British Indian restaurants from the 1960s onwards, whose chicken tikka is marinated in a similar mix. The vivid red-orange of many restaurant tandoori dishes comes from colouring rather than chilli.
What goes in it¶
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Kashmiri chilli | Deep red colour, mild heat |
| cumin and coriander | Earthy, citrusy body |
| ginger and garlic (dried) | Pungency |
| Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) | Savoury, maple-like aroma, very characteristic |
| Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, mace | Warm spices, as in garam masala |
| amchur or citric acid | Tang |
| paprika or beetroot powder | Extra colour in some home blends |
| Salt, and in commercial blends colouring | Seasoning, colour |
Flavour¶
Smoky once cooked, warm and savoury, with a gentle chilli heat, a sour lift and the distinctive aroma of fenugreek leaf. The charring in a very hot oven or grill is part of the flavour; the same marinade baked gently tastes flat.
How to use it¶
- Tandoori chicken: for 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces, slashed deeply, mix 2 tablespoons tandoori masala with 200 g thick yoghurt, 1 tablespoon each grated ginger and garlic, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon oil and 1½ teaspoons salt. Marinate 4–24 hours. Roast on a rack at the highest oven setting, 240–250 °C (gas 9), for 25–30 minutes, then char under a hot grill or on a barbecue.
- Tikka: boneless chicken, lamb, prawns, fish or paneer on skewers, 10–15 minutes under a hot grill.
- Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, peppers and onion.
💡 A two-stage marinade
Many restaurant cooks first rub meat with lemon juice, salt and chilli for 30 minutes, then apply the yoghurt and spice marinade. The acid and salt season the meat more deeply.
Making it at home¶
About 8 tablespoons · 15 minutes
You need
- 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- Seeds from 6 green cardamom pods
- 6 cloves
- 3 cm cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 1 tsp amchur
- 1 tsp sweet paprika (optional, for colour)
- ¼ tsp ground mace
Method
- Toast the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the fenugreek leaves for the last 20 seconds, just to crisp them.
- Cool, then grind finely.
- Mix in the chilli, ginger, garlic, amchur, paprika and mace. Store airtight.
Variations¶
- Restaurant style: bright red with food colouring, often salted and with citric acid.
- Home Punjabi: no colouring, more fenugreek leaf and garlic.
- Pakistani tikka masalas are often hotter, with more chilli.
- Smoky: a pinch of black cardamom or smoked paprika imitates the tandoor.
Every restaurant and family uses its own mix; there is no single authentic recipe.
Buying and storing¶
Keep airtight and away from light. Commercial tandoori masalas vary greatly in salt and colouring; check the label. Unused marinade that has touched raw meat must be discarded.