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Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Maharashtrian Goda Masala

Today I decided to share the recipe of a major ingredient used in Maharashtrian cooking--'Goda Masala'. It is the base for most Maharashtrian curries and dals (called aamti in Marathi).To make goda masala the spices are roasted using oil. All spices are roasted till they become darker in colour and then ground to a powder. When the spices are roasted enough for them to be dark brown (almost black) in colour when ground, it is called 'Kaala Masala'. 'Kaala' means black in Marathi, and hence the name. The difference between 'Kaala Masala' and 'Goda Masala' is due to the proportions of certain spices and the degree to which they are toasted. The recipe and name for this masala can vary from family to family but, the basic ingredients or the flavor will never change drastically. Every time I go to my hometown in India I get a full year's supply of homemade masala from my mother-in-law as well as my mother. It is very easy to make, it can be stored for several months, and the most important thing....a little goes a long way!

Ingredients:
Dhane (Coriander seeds) 1 cup
Jeere (Cumin seeds) 1/4 cup
Teel (White Sesame seeds) 1/3 cup
Lavang (Cloves) 2 tbsp
Badi Elaichi (Big Cardamom) 2 tbsp
Dalchini (Cinnamon sticks) 2 tbsp
Kaale Mire (Black peppercorns)2 tbsp
Dagadphool (Lichen) 2 tbsp (skip it, if unavailable)
Tamalpatra (Bay leaf) 1/2 cup
Oil to roast the spices about 1-2 tsp

Method:
In a pan or kadhai, heat the oil and roast all the spices together till they turn dark in color.The color should be a very dark brown in order to get a good color to the masala. Make sure to keep stirring to avoid burnt spices.Once roasted, let cool and then pass through a grinder to make a powder.
This is how the masala will look when its ready....




Update:
There has been a lot of confusion regarding kaala masala/goda masala, so I tried to find out more on this. According to my research, the proportion of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, elaichi, and dalchini (garam masala ingredients) is more in kaala masala and that generally, dried coconut (khobra) & sesame seeds are not used. Also, the spices are toasted to a more darker colour to make Kaala masala. Hence, goda masala is slightly lighter in colour than kaala masala. Again, this may vary family to family. My mom's recipe of Goda masala skips the dried coconut only because, coconut starts giving out an oily smell if kept for too long.
I have modified my post accordingly and
I hope this will clear some of the confusion created by my post.

12 comments:

Indian Food Rocks said...

Hey! Thanks for the recipe! I can make my own from here on.

The goda masala that is made in my family has dried coconut in it. More on the lines of this. So it always had a different flavor from kala masala. Do you have a recipe for goda masala?

Tee said...

Hey Manisha!
As far as i know goda masala/kala masala are terms that are used interchangeably. I guess the addition of coconut will vary with the region and family. Will definitely pass on more info on this if i get it...
Thanks for visiting my page!

radha said...

kala masala sounds great. I tasted kichdi with this couple of years back.
Can you share that recipe if you can and also some other recipes for this masala
thanks

FH said...

I love this masala and use it to make Misal.It's also called Goda masala I think.Thanks Tee:)

Prachi Junankar-Gokhale said...

Hi Tee
I was delighted to find Varanphala on your blog! It was and still is, my absolute favorite comfort food. Nobody I know has heard of it - and now finally I dinf it posted on your blog!
Great job and keep posting. Prachi

Sharmi said...

while researching for RCI came across this masala a lot. thanks for the recipe.

Tee said...

Thanks Prachi! I agree with you totally, varanphala is the ultimate comfort food!

You are welcome, Sharmi!

Unknown said...

Hi Tee,
Thanks so much for the goda masala recipe, I did make it using your recipe....will make something for RCI.

Tee said...

You are welcome Madhu! looking forward to your RCI recipe...

foryoureyesonly said...

Such a simple recipe, GREAT!

I had this old grandmother's recipe, all elaborate and complicated. With your recipe, everything has become tremendously easier.

THANKS!

Mangal said...

Just for records - Goda masala and kala masala are not interchangable as both are distictively different. Goda masala is more brahmin and hardly extends beyond Pune where as Kala masala starts from Pune region more close to Satara - kolhapur in Maratha households. Kala masala has Onion browned in oil as well as ginger garlic. The black colour comes from spices getting wet look from the browned onion. Goda masala contains only spices and never has onion or garlic.(Hence Brahmin) Kala masala needs only water to make it into a complete curry anywhere. It also has more ingredients (32 in all)

Tee said...

Thanks Mangalnath for the detailed difference between the two masalas. I always get different explanations to this question, guess everyone has their own version. :)