Indian Culture

Masala

Masala is Hindi and Urdu for ingredients or spices.1,2,3 In Indian cooking it means a blend of spices that varies.1,4,5

Also known as Spice blend, Spice mix

Masala is the Hindi and Urdu word for ingredients and spices, and it goes back to an Arabic word.1,2,3 In South Asian cooking, masala means a mixture of spices, and which spices go in varies.1,4,5 Spices are often blended into garam masala, literally hot spices, and each region of India has its own variant.6,7 Masala also names a dish in a sauce with such spices, such as chana masala made from chickpeas.4,5,8

What's in masala seasoning?

It depends on the blend. The pack of MDH chicken curry spice blend lists 15 ingredients, led by coriander, chilli and cumin.1,9

What is the difference between a curry and a masala?

A masala is the spice blend. A curry is a dish of meat or vegetables in a spicy sauce, originally from South Asia.1,4,10,11

Recipes with Masala

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Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). masala. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  2. Platts, J. T. (1884). masālā. In A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English (p. 1030). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  3. Platts, J. T. (1884). maṣālěḥ. In A Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English (p. 1041). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  4. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). masala. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  5. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). masala. In Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  6. Pai Raikar, S. (2026). Indian cuisine. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  7. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). garam masala. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  8. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). chana. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  9. Indian Culture: MDH Chicken Curry Spice Blend (Curry Masala for Chicken): ingredients on the pack.
  10. Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). curry. In Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  11. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). curry. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.

Cite this entry

MLA

“Masala.” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/masala.

Chicago

Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Masala,” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/masala.

APA

Indian Culture. (n.d.). Masala. In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/masala