Homemade Masala Paste is one of the meal preps that can save loads of time in preparing any curry. These curry and biryani spice pastes can be made in advance and can be stored in the freezer for a week to 10 days.
It is extremely useful for working people who can do this kind of prep once a week and speed up the cooking process. By making and stocking on these spice mixes, you can save a lot of time in the kitchen and have a delicious curry at the same time without compromising on the taste.
Masala Paste For Mutton/Chicken Biryani
Ingredients
- 3-inch stick of cinnamon, 4 cardamoms, 6-7 cloves
- 1 tbsp whole black pepper
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds (badi saunf)
- 8 almonds chopped
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 3 tbsp chopped ginger
- 7 cloves garlic chopped
- 8 green chilies ( or according to preference)
- 1 small onion chopped.
- 1 cup roughly chopped coriander leaves
Method
Dry roast whole spices ( black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, fennel seeds) almonds and poppy seeds till they start giving a pleasant aroma. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and fry ginger, garlic, green chilies, and onion. In a grinder combine all of the above ingredients and grind to a smooth paste. If needed add very little water.
Homestyle Mutton Biryani recipe using ground spice paste.
Red Chili Paste For Fish/Chicken/Paneer fry
Ingredients
- 10-15 dry red chilies (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes)
- 10 curry leaves
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp roasted cumin
- Less than 1/4 tsp roasted methi seeds (fenugreek)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup or little more of water
Method
Add all the above ingredients in a grinder jar and grind to a smooth paste.
Chicken Tikka Masala Paste
Ingredients
- 2 medium onion roughly chopped
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 green chilies chopped
- 1 tbsp each ginger & garlic paste
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi powder (dry fenugreek leaves crushed)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 7 to 8 cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp melon seeds (charmagaz) (optional)
- 1 tbsp chicken tikka masala powder
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
Method
- Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan and fry the onion and green chili till onion turns light golden and soft.
- Then add tomatoes, ginger paste, garlic paste, and mint leaves. Fry till the tomatoes melt, combined with onion and oil starts to separate.
- While the tomatoes are cooking add all the spice powders – 1 tbsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1 tbsp kasoori methi powder. Stir well and cook till the raw smell of spices turns aromatic. This will take 4 to 5 minutes. While frying the masala keep the flame on lowest and keep stirring in order to avoid burning the spices. In case if the mixture sticks to the pan, add few drops of water.
- Now add whisked 2 tbsp whisked yogurt, 1 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tbsp tikka masala and stir well.
- Grind cashew nuts and melon seeds together to a fine powder and add it to the gravy.
- Remove the gravy from heat, cool it and blend it to a smooth paste.
Fish Curry Paste
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fresh coconut (dry roasted desiccated coconut)
- 1 onion sliced + 1 small for masala paste
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 small green chilies
- 7 -10 curry leaves
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 7 -10 dry red chilies
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp whole cumin
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulp ( 3/4 cup tamarind soaked water)
Method
- Heat a pan and dry roast dry red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorn and fenugreek seeds on very low flame.
- Grind fresh coconut into a fine paste by using some warm water. Try to grind as fine and smooth as possible.
- Now grind together coconut paste, dry roasted spices, curry leaves, small onion, garlic cloves, green chilies and tamarind pulp to a smooth paste by adding very little water.
Note: If you are using desiccated coconut, then you need to dry roast and then grind it along with other ingredients.
Makes curry of 5 servings.
All-Purpose Masala Paste For Mutton/Chicken/Egg/Vegetable Curry
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion roughly chopped
- 1 small piece of ginger
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 green chilies
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Grind to a smooth paste and use it for making any curry or korma.
Makes curry for 4 people.
Baghara Baingan Masala Paste
Ingredients
- 1 medium sliced onion
- 1/4 cup coconut powder (dry desiccated)
- 3 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 inch ginger chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder (or 5 dry red chilies roasted)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon roasted coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
- 5 curry leaves (optional)
Grind the above ingredients to smooth paste using very less water. Can be stored in the freezer for 10 days.
This Curry paste is good for serving 4 to 5 people.
Coconut Curry Paste For Mutton/Chicken
For 1 kilogram Mutton/Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut
- 4 to 5 green chilies, or according to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (Badi Saunf)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 green cardamom
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 5 almonds
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and toast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom and cinnamon for few seconds. Then add chopped green chilies, ginger, garlic and onion. Once it turns soft and aromatic, add grated coconut and roast for few seconds. Make sure that the coconut does not change color or else the curry will turn dark. Cool and grind to a smooth paste along with peeled and chopped almonds or 1 tablespoon of almond powder and adding very less water.
This paste can be stored in the freezer for 1 week.
Ghee Roast Masala
This paste can be used for 1 kilo Chicken/Mutton
Ingredients
- 7 to 8 dry red chilies (according to your spice preference)
- 2 tbsp. coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (whole methi)
- Dry roast the above ingredients and blend with:
- 7 to 8 garlic pods
- 1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
- 5-6 curry leaves
Method
- Dry roast coriander, red chilies, cumin, peppercorns, and fenugreek seeds.
- Blend the roasted whole spices with garlic, tamarind, and curry leaves along with a little water to a smooth paste.
Can be stored in the freezer for 1 week to 10 days.
Mughlai Paste
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 8 to 10 cashew nut
Grind to a smooth paste and use it in any regular chicken or mutton curry which will then taste like a Mughlai Curry.
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