Dal Masala Powder is a spice blend that enhances the flavor of everyday lentil dishes, such as dals, with its aromatic and easy-to-make combination of cumin seeds, black peppercorns, black cardamom, and cloves.
Let’s dive into making this simple spice blend and take your dal to the next level!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Simple ingredients such as cumin seeds, black peppercorns, black cardamom, and cloves are needed to make dal masala powder.
- Dal masala powder is known for its earthy, subtle kick, smoky richness, and warm sweetness.
- You can use this powder in a wide range of dal or lentil preparations, such as chana dal, dal tadka, dal makhani, and sambar.
- To retain the flavor, freshness, and quality of the powder for a long period, store it away from moisture and direct sunlight in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
- A few common substitutes for dal masala powder could be garam masala powder, sambar powder, curry powder, rasam powder, and a simple blend of ground cumin and coriander seeds.
How to Make Dal Masala Powder? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Heat a frying pan on a low flame.
Step 2: When the pan is sufficiently hot, put 1 tbsp of black peppercorns, 1 tbsp of cloves, and 6 pieces of black cardamom into the frying pan and stir them all together.
Step 3: Now add 6 tbsp of cumin seeds into the pan. Stir all the ingredients occasionally to roast them nicely until there is no moisture and you can smell the aroma of roasted spices.
Step 4: Pour the roasted spices on a plate and set it aside to cool completely.
Step 5: Transfer all of the ingredients into a grinder.
Step 6: Grind the spices nicely to get a fine power. Your dal masala powder is ready.
Recipe Card
Dal Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp Black pepper
- 6 pieces Black cardamom
- 1 tbsp Cloves
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan on a low flame.
- When the pan is sufficiently hot, put 1 tbsp of black peppercorns, 1 tbsp of cloves, and 6 pieces of black cardamom into the frying pan and stir them all together.
- Now add 6 tbsp of cumin seeds into the pan. Stir all the ingredients occasionally to roast them nicely until there is no moisture and you can smell the aroma of roasted spices.
- Pour the roasted spices on a plate and set it aside to cool completely.
- Transfer all of the ingredients into a grinder.
- Grind the spices nicely to get a fine power. Your dal masala powder is ready.
Notes
- Roast the whole spices carefully so that you do not burn them in the process. Burnt spices will render a bitter taste.
- Slow roasting on a low flame is ideal, and it helps the flavors develop perfectly, thereby adding a punch to the dal masala powder.
- Cool the roasted whole spices completely before grinding. This will prevent clumping and render a smooth texture to the dal masala powder.
- I prefer mild heat in my dal masala powder. However, you can spice it up even more if you like by increasing the quantity of black pepper. You can also modify the quantities of other spices.
