Masala is what makes Nepalese food delicious. Nepalese cuisine uses different types of dry masala. All types of dry masala powder have a key ingredient that gives a unique flavor to the cuisine when used in it.
Nepal is rich in cuisines, and their flavors are heavenly. Every flavorful Nepalese cuisine has one secrete masala that makes it tempting and savory. When preparing any types of Nepalese cuisine, you will need all common Nepalese spices and you will also need special dry masala to give a finger-licking taste.
Dry masalas are commonly used in Nepalese cuisine. Though there are different types of wet masalas that can make flavorsome cuisine, however, Nepalese are fond of using different types of dry masala in cuisine.
How is dry masala different from wet masala?
Dry masala and wet masala doesn’t have much different. Basically, dry masalas are those types of masala that are in powder form. These masalas are grinder dry to get dry powder masala. The ingredients used to prepare any types of dry masala are also dry. If some ingredients to prepare dry masala are wet, then those ingredients should be specially dried so that they get blend with other dry spices.
Whereas wet masala also known as paste masala is made by soaking the spices in liquid then they are converted into a paste. Wet masala uses fresh ingredients to increase the flavor of the spices. Actually, wet masala is made just before preparing food so that it can release all the fresh flavors in the food.
The only difference between dry masala and wet masala is that all types of dry masala have a long life but wet masala has to be used immediately after preparing it. Though wet masala has a limited lifespan, it brings more flavors to the food.
However, it is not possible to prepare wet masala all the time so here are dry masalas that are best to spice the food.
8 Types of Homemade Nepalese Dry Masala
Dry masala is prepared by roasting all the ingredients in a non-stick pan, cooled then blended into a fine powder using a blender or mixture. Remember to roast them at low flame for about a minute.
1. Garam Masala
Garam Masala is very often used while preparing a Nepali regular meals. This masala can be treated as a seasoning or can be used just like normal spice in food. Garam masala is very aromatic and only a few pinches can enhance the taste of the dishes. In order to prepare Garam masala, ingredients need to be lightly roasted to wipe moisture and bring out more flavors.
Ingredients:
Cumin seeds, black cardamom, green cardamom, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon, mace, bay leaf, mace, and nutmegs.
2. Chana Masala
Using chana masala brings spiciness in the food. It gives flavor to chana and also treated as a flavoring agent in curries. Though chana masala is not regularly used in Nepalese households, it is used occasionally to season the food. Having a jar of chana masala can definitely be useful when you are serving channa or any type of curry to your guest.
Ingredients:
Coriander powder, cumin seeds, red chilies, ginger powder, dry mango powder, cinnamon, black pepper, black cardamom, garlic, cubeb pepper, nutmeg, clove, mace, and dried pomegranate seeds.
3. Chaat Masala
Nepalese foods usually don’t use chaat masala as an ingredient. Adding this tangy masala in the fruit salad enhances the taste of it. Other than this, chaat masala can be sprinkled over vegetables to give it a tangy taste. However, chaat masala is not the main ingredient but it acts as a flavoring agent in regular Nepali food.
Ingredients:
Mango powder, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, dry ginger, black salt, black pepper, asafoetida, red chili powder, carom seed, and mint powder.
4. Tandoori Masala
If you are fond of tandoori, then you definitely need tandoori masala in your kitchen. Preparing tandoori at home may not taste similar to the restaurant. You might have correctly followed all the steps of preparing tandoori but it might not match the restaurant flavor. This can happen because you might have missed using tandoori masala.
Ingredients:
Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, ginger powder, garlic powder, bay leaf, Kasuri methi, cardamom, cinnamon, mace, red chili powder, turmeric powder, dry mango powder, and salt.
5. Biryani masala
Rice is a must-to-eat meal of every Nepalese. Eating plain rice every day can bore you. So, occasionally eating biryani for dinner can spice your mouth. To give aromatic flavor you will need biryani masala along with other masalas to prepare biryani. You can use biryani masala while cooking vegetables for the piquant taste.
Ingredients:
Bay leaf, fennel seeds, green cardamom, black cardamom, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, black cumin, cumin, star anise, and grated nutmeg.
6. Pani puri masala
Pani puri is everyone’s favorite. Standing on the road eating panipuri by the side of the panipuri stall is something that everybody enjoys doing, especially girls. And of course, you might have tried to prepare panipuri at home. It might taste good but not as good as you ate from the stall. So you will need a panipuri masala to bring a stall-like taste at home.
Ingredients:
Cumin seeds, coriander, red chili powder, mango powder, black pepper powder, salt, black salt, asafoetida, and citric acid (lemon juice)
7. Momo Masala
Preparing momo at home is very common in Nepalese households. Organizing the momo party is something that every Nepalese has done. But sometimes while making momo filling in large quantity, it might not taste as good as you prepare momo filling in small quantity. So, you will need momo masala to balance the flavor in the filling.
Ingredients:
Black pepper, dry ginger, cloves, cardamoms, dry chili, bay leaves, cinnamon, mustard seeds, nutmeg, coriander seeds, salt, and turmeric powder.
8. Coriander masala
Coriander masala is suitable for everyday cooking. It goes with all types of veggies you prepare. Adding coriander masala can slightly spice the food. Though coriander is the base ingredient for many masalas, it appears to be the main ingredient for making coriander masala.
Ingredients:
Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.