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Malvani masala
Konkan spice blend
मालवणी मसाला: hot, fragrant Konkan blend of roasted Bedgi chillies and about fifteen whole spices, for Malvani curries (about 200 g jar)
Head down the coast to Malvan, Vengurla or Devgad and every family has its own masala tin, ground in summer when the chillies are crisp and dry. Malvani masala is hotter and more aromatic than goda masala and uses no coconut: it is mostly Bedgi chillies (for a deep red colour and moderate heat) with a handful of fiery Sankeshwari, roasted with coriander and about fifteen whole spices including fennel, star anise, mace, nutmeg and stone flower. Fried in oil with coconut and onion, it becomes the base of kombdi vade (chicken curry with puris), bangda and surmai curries, prawn sukka, and vegetarian dishes like kala vatana usal and Malvani batata bhaji. The blend itself is vegan. Common mistake: leaving the stalks on the chillies; they grind into hard, woody bits and dull the colour. Chef's tip: dry the chillies in the sun or in a barely warm pan first, then roast them separately on low until they crackle, so they grind to a fine, bright powder.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
Chillies
- 2 ⅛ oz Bedgi (Byadgi) dried red chilliesstalks removed
- ⅔ oz Sankeshwari or other hot dried red chilliesstalks removed
- 1 tsp groundnut oil
Whole spices
- 1 ⅜ oz coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks5 cm each
- ¼ nutmega quarter
- 1 tbsp stone flower (dagad phool)
Powders
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp gluten-free asafoetida
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
- bedgi
- sankeshwari or other hot dried red chillies
- groundnut oil
- coriander seeds
- cumin seeds
- black peppercorns
- fennel seeds
- caraway seeds
- black mustard seeds
- fenugreek seeds
- cloves
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- mace blade
- nutmeg
- black cardamom pods
- green cardamom pods
- stone flower
- indian bay leaves
- turmeric
- gluten-free asafoetida
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tsp groundnut oil in a heavy kadai over a low heat and roast 2 ⅛ oz Bedgi (Byadgi) dried red chillies and ⅔ oz Sankeshwari or other hot dried red chillies, stirring all the time, for 4–5 minutes until they turn crisp, a shade darker and crackle when crushed. Tip onto a large plate.
5 minStep 2: Dry-roast 1 ⅜ oz coriander seeds over a low heat for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Add to the plate.
5 minStep 3: Roast 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp caraway seeds (shahi jeera), 1 tsp black mustard seeds and ½ tsp fenugreek seeds together for 2 minutes, until the mustard begins to pop and the fenugreek turns light brown.
2 minStep 4: Roast 1 tsp cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 1 mace blade, ¼ nutmeg, 2 black cardamom pods, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 tbsp stone flower (dagad phool) and 3 Indian bay leaves (tamalpatra) for 2–3 minutes, until the cloves swell and the kitchen smells sweet and warm.
3 minStep 5: Leave everything to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Grind in batches to a fine powder, then mix in 1 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp gluten-free asafoetida.
25 minStep 6: Sift if you want a very fine masala, and regrind the coarse bits. Store in a clean, dry, airtight jar away from light for up to 6 months.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 20 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does malvani masala take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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