Kabab Masala Powder is a special mix of spices that makes your homemade kababs taste amazing. It’s like a secret recipe that adds lots of flavors to your cooking.
It comprises several premium spices along with other ingredients like chana dal and pomegranate seeds, ground perfectly to create a harmonious blend.
Adding this to your collection of masala powders will enhance your culinary journey and kabab experience. Join me in exploring the art of making this essential spice mix.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- To preserve the freshness and flavor of the powder for a long time, make small portions and store them in an airtight glass container in a cool, dark place.
- This powder can be used in making a variety of kebabs such as seekh kebabs, chapli kebabs, chicken kebabs, Lucknawi galouti kebabs, tangdi kebabs, malai chicken kebabs, reshmi kebabs, vegetarian hara bhara kebabs, to name a few.
- Kabab masala powder tastes spicy and earthy with a touch of sweetness and peppery elegance, balanced perfectly with nutty, citrusy and smoky undertone.
- Other masala powders that resemble the taste of kabab masala powder include classic garam masala powder, tandoori spice mix, biryani masala powder, chaat masala powder, and curry powder.
How to Make Kabab Masala Powder? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a wok or a frying pan and heat it on a low flame on your gas stove.
Step 2: When the frying pan is hot enough, put 1 tbsp of coriander seeds first to dry and roast them.
Step 3: Stir it till you smell the aroma. Take care that you do not roast them too much so that the seeds change their color.
Step 4: Now, add 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and 1 tbsp of fennel seeds to it and dry roast all three spices on a low to medium flame. Stir them continuously so that they do not get burnt. Transfer them to a separate plate when they are roasted and you notice a little bit of smoke coming from the spices.
Step 5: Now, add 50 gms of dry red chilies to the pan. Stir them continuously to roast them slightly. It should not get burnt or change color. Transfer them onto a plate.
Step 6: Then put 50 gms of chickpeas into the pan, stir them continuously to get rid of the moisture, and transfer them onto the plate.
Step 7: Now put 1 tbsp of dry pomegranate seeds (anar dana) in the pan and stir them.
Step 8: When the pomegranate seeds have lost moisture, add all the other spices such as 2 sticks of cinnamon of 1-inch each, 1 tbsp of Kabab chini (tailed pepper, allspice, or cubeb), 1 tbsp of black pepper, 2 tbsp of poppy seeds (khus khus), 4 pieces of mace, 20 pieces of cloves, 6 pieces of black cardamom, 1 piece of star anise, 2 sticks of Piper Longum or long pepper (Pippali) of 1-inch each, and 15 pieces of green cardamom. Stir the ingredients for about half a minute.
Step 9: Add the roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds to it. Do not forget to stir the spices continuously.
Step 10: Now add 1 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi) to it.
Step 11: Give it a quick stir to roast and mix the dry fenugreek seeds well. Then add 6 medium-sized pieces of bay leaves. You may tear the bay leaves if they are large. Continue stirring.
Step 12: When you can smell the aroma of the roasted spices, add the nutmeg. You can break it into small pieces.
Step 13: Give it a final stir and transfer the roasted spices onto a plate. Set it aside so that the spices cool off completely.
Step 14: Now, take a dry and clean grinder.
Step 15: Transfer the roasted ingredients into the grinder. You may transfer them in small batches if your grinder is small in size and cannot accommodate all of the ingredients in one go.
Step 16: Grind the spices into a powder. It is alright if it is coarse.
Step 17: Now add the next lot to the grinder. If it is the last batch, do not forget to add 1 tbsp turmeric powder to it.
Step 18: Now, grind it into a fine powder. Check the consistency and grind a couple of times in short intervals for a smooth powder.
Step 19: Transfer the powder from the grinder onto a plate. Your aromatic kabab masala powder is finally ready to use.
Recipe Card
Kabab Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 50 grams Dry red chilies
- 6 pieces Bay leaves medium-sized
- 50 grams Chickpea (Chana) (roasted and de-skinned)
- 1 tbsp Dry fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi)
- 1 tbsp Dry pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 2 pieces Cinnamon sticks 1-inch
- 1 tbsp Kabab chini (tailed pepper, allspice, or cubeb)
- 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp Black pepper
- 2 tbsp Poppy seeds (khus khus)
- 4 pieces Mace
- 20 pieces Cloves
- 6 pieces Black cardamom
- 1 piece Nutmeg
- 1 piece Star anise
- 2 pieces Piper Longum 1 inch
- 15 pieces Green cardamom
Instructions
- Take a wok or a frying pan and heat it on a low flame on your gas stove.
- When the frying pan is hot enough, put 1 tbsp of coriander seeds first to dry and roast them.
- Stir it till you smell the aroma. Take care that you do not roast them too much so that the seeds change their color.
- Now, add 1 tbsp of cumin seeds and 1 tbsp of fennel seeds to it and dry roast all three spices on a low to medium flame. Stir them continuously so that they do not get burnt. Transfer them to a separate plate when they are roasted and you notice a little bit of smoke coming from the spices.
- Now, add 50 gms of dry red chilies to the pan. Stir them continuously to roast them slightly. It should not get burnt or change color. Transfer them onto a plate.
- Then put 50 gms of chickpeas into the pan, stir them continuously to get rid of the moisture, and transfer them onto the plate.
- Now put 1 tbsp of dry pomegranate seeds (anar dana) in the pan and stir them.
- When the pomegranate seeds have lost moisture, add all the other spices such as 2 sticks of cinnamon of 1-inch each, 1 tbsp of Kabab chini (tailed pepper, allspice, or cubeb), 1 tbsp of black pepper, 2 tbsp of poppy seeds (khus khus), 4 pieces of mace, 20 pieces of cloves, 6 pieces of black cardamom, 1 piece of star anise, 2 sticks of Piper Longum or long pepper (Pippali) of 1-inch each, and 15 pieces of green cardamom. Stir the ingredients for about half a minute.
- Add the roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds to it. Do not forget to stir the spices continuously.
- Now add 1 tbsp of dry fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi) to it.
- Give it a quick stir to roast and mix the dry fenugreek seeds well. Then add 6 medium-sized pieces of bay leaves. You may tear the bay leaves if they are large. Continue stirring.
- When you can smell the aroma of the roasted spices, add the nutmeg. You can break it into small pieces.
- Give it a final stir and transfer the roasted spices onto a plate. Set it aside so that the spices cool off completely.
- Now, take a dry and clean grinder.
- Transfer the roasted ingredients into the grinder. You may transfer them in small batches if your grinder is small in size and cannot accommodate all of the ingredients in one go.
- Grind the spices into a powder. It is alright if it is coarse.
- Now add the next lot to the grinder. If it is the last batch, do not forget to add 1 tbsp turmeric powder to it.
- Now, grind it into a fine powder. Check the consistency and grind a couple of times in short intervals for a smooth powder.
- Transfer the powder from the grinder onto a plate. Your aromatic kabab masala powder is finally ready to use.
Notes
- The taste of and flavor of your kabab masala powder will typically depend on the freshness of the spices and ingredients. So, make sure you use fresh and top-quality ingredients.
- Also, roast the ingredients separately as shown in my recipe. This will enhance the taste of the powder even further. Make sure they are roasted evenly. Stir them continuously on a low flame to prevent burning and a bitter taste.
- Keep a special eye on the pomegranate seeds while roasting. You must roast them until they lose the moisture in them completely. This will prevent clumping and also render a balanced and tangy flavor to the mixture.
- Cool the roasted ingredients completely by transferring them to a plate and spreading them to expedite the process. This will prevent clumping and render the right texture to the mixture.
- Add turmeric powder at the final stage of grinding, or in the last batch if you are grinding in small batches. This will help render the perfect vibrant color to the powder.
