Chaat Masala

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ajwain seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1 tablespoon kala namak powder
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 3 tablespoons green mango powder
• 4 1/2 teaspoons tamarind powder
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 5 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder

Directions

1. Place a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Toast the cumin seeds first, then the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and ajwain seeds, handling them separately so each one warms evenly and smells fragrant without scorching. As each spice is ready, move it out of the pan and set it aside.
2. Add the toasted spices to a high-powered blender, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. Add the dried mint, then the kala namak and salt, followed by the green mango powder, tamarind powder, whole black peppercorns, Kashmiri red chili powder, and ginger powder. Process everything into a fine powder. If your grinder is small, work through the ingredients in batches, then stir the ground mixture together thoroughly in a small mixing bowl.
3. Transfer the masala to an airtight container and keep it somewhere cool and dry for up to 3 months. The flavor is even better the next day, after the spices have had time to settle into each other.