Nihari masala powder refers to a blend of different seeds, pepper, garam masala, and a variety of aromatic spices like star anise, cubebe, mace, and more.
Roasted and ground to perfection, these ingredients offer the authentic taste and flavor of nihari. Join me in this culinary journey and discover the steps.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Nihari masala powder is a fusion of authentic Indian spices that will make your homemade nihari taste just like restaurant-made varieties.
- The masala powder can be used in an assortment of dishes apart from traditional nihari, such as grilled meats, kebabs, different curries, slow-cooked stews, pulao, biryani, vegetarian recipes, soups, broths, paneer preparations, sauces and marinades to enhance their taste manifold.
- Store your powder in an airtight container. This will prevent moisture or air from spoiling its flavor and texture. Store it in a cool dark place but do not refrigerate.
- Biryani, tandoori, and garam masala powder also offer a somewhat similar taste as nihari masala powder, much as chaat masala and curry powder.
How to Make Nihari Masala Powder? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a frying pan and heat it on your gas stove on a low flame. Put all the whole spices such as 1 tbsp of white cumin seeds, ½ tbsp of black cumin seeds, ½ tbsp of black pepper, 1 tbsp of fennel seeds, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, ½ piece of nutmeg, ½ piece of mace, 3 cinnamon sticks of 1-inch size, ½ tsp of tailed pepper or cubebe, ½ tsp of green cardamom, 1 tsp of cloves, 5 pieces of long pepper (pippali) of about 1-inch size, 1 tbsp dry pomegranate seeds, 4 pieces of black cardamom, 4 pieces of star anise, and 3 pieces of bay leaves (torn) in it.
Stir the spices continuously to dry roast them for about 2 to 3 minutes until you can smell the magical aroma of the roasted spices. Make sure you do not burn them and the spices lose their natural flavor.
Step 2: Transfer the roasted spices into a separate plate and set it aside so that the spices cool off completely.
Step 3: Take a clean and dry grinder.
Step 4: Transfer the roasted spices into the grinder and grind them into a fine powder.
Step 6: Now it is time to use the powdered ingredients to the ground spices.
Step 8: Pour and mix them nicely and your nihari masala powder is ready.
Recipe Card
Nihari Masala Powder
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp White cumin seeds
- ½ tbsp Black cumin seeds
- ½ tbsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
- ½ piece Nutmeg
- ½ piece Mace
- 3 pieces Cinnamon sticks 1 inch size
- ½ tsp Tailed pepper or cubebe
- ½ tbsp Green cardamom
- 1 tsp Cloves
- 5 pieces Long pepper (pippali)
- 1 tbsp Dry pomegranate seeds
- 4 pieces Black cardamom
- 4 pieces Star anise
- 3 pieces Bay leaves (torn)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 tbsp Dry red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ tbsp Poppy seeds
- ½ tbsp Dry ginger powder
- ½ tbsp Dry garlic powder
- ½ tbsp Dry papaya powder
Instructions
- Take a frying pan and heat it on your gas stove on a low flame. Put all the whole spices such as 1 tbsp of white cumin seeds, ½ tbsp of black cumin seeds, ½ tbsp of black pepper, 1 tbsp of fennel seeds, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, ½ piece of nutmeg, ½ piece of mace, 3 cinnamon sticks of 1-inch size, ½ tsp of tailed pepper or cubebe, ½ tsp of green cardamom, 1 tsp of cloves, 5 pieces of long pepper (pippali) of about 1-inch size, 1 tbsp dry pomegranate seeds, 4 pieces of black cardamom, 4 pieces of star anise, and 3 pieces of bay leaves (torn) in it.Stir the spices continuously to dry roast them for about 2 to 3 minutes until you can smell the magical aroma of the roasted spices. Make sure you do not burn them and the spices lose their natural flavor.
- Transfer the roasted spices into a separate plate and set it aside so that the spices cool off completely.
- Take a clean and dry grinder.
- Transfer the roasted spices into the grinder and grind them into a fine powder.
- Now it is time to use the powdered ingredients to the ground spices.
- Pour and mix them nicely and your nihari masala powder is ready.
Notes
- I strongly recommend using fresh spices to make nihari masala powder at home. This will offer the desired taste and authentic flavor to the powder.
- Make sure you roast the spices perfectly, either separately or together, on a low flame to prevent burning them. This will enhance the taste of the powder even further.
- Remove the spices from the frying pan when they start changing color. Transfer them to a plate first and not into the grinder to let them cool completely. This will prevent condensation and clumping.
- Grind the spices a couple of times to achieve a fine powder. Grind intermittently to avoid heat generation by the electric motor and affecting the texture. However, you may leave it coarse if you like.
- I would not recommend making a lot of it at a time. A small amount is not only easy to store but will also preserve the freshness and flavor for a long time. Use a dry spoon while using and preventing moisture introduction.
