Chaat Masala
on May 20, 2021, Updated May 26, 2025
Make tangy and spicy Chaat Masala at home in under 10 minutes. It is much better than the store-bought one and much more economical too. Make a big batch using my easy recipe and store it for up to 3 months (vegan).
If you want to try more homemade spice mix recipes, then give these also a try: Sandwich Masala, Chai Masala, Achari Masala Powder, Thandai Powder, and Roasted Cumin Powder.
About Chaat Masala
Chaat Masala is one of the most popular Indian spice mixes that is often used to sprinkle on salads and chaats or added to dals and curries.
It is spicy, salty, and tangy in taste and perks up the taste of any simple dish instantly.
Fused with the flavors of cumin, whole coriander seed, black peppercorns, asafetida, dry mango powder, and black salt, this spice mix jazzes up the palate like nothing else.
Chat masala powder is one of the quintessential Indian spice mixes you can make within minutes and can be stored for quite some time.
You may ask why make it if it’s available in the stores easily?
The homemade one is made with high-quality ingredients, and you are sure of what’s going on inside. It has no added colors or preservatives.
You can also experiment by increasing or decreasing the quantity of the ingredients, making your custom blend.
It takes under 10 minutes to make a big batch and is very economical, too.
This chaat masala powder recipe is vegan and can be easily made gluten-free. You can easily double or triple the recipe.
Ingredients
To make homemade chaat masala recipe, you will need basic ingredients that are easily available at Indian grocery stores or online.
You will need
- cumin seeds (jeera)
- whole coriander seeds (dhaniya ke beej)
- whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- asafetida (hing)
- dry mango powder (amchoor)
- black salt (kala namak)
- regular white salt
If you want it to be gluten-free, avoid adding hing (asafetida).
You can add some pomegranate seed powder (anardana powder) and red chili powder to this popular Indian spice blend recipe for a taste change.
How To Make Chaat Masala Powder
Add the following ingredients to a skillet. Dry roast on medium heat until they turn darker and give off their aromas (2-3 minutes).
- ¼ cup cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Stir often while roasting to prevent the spices from burning.
Note – Do not roast the spices on high heat; otherwise, they might burn.
Do not over-roast the spices; otherwise, they will turn bitter.
Keep in consideration that they will continue to roast from the residual heat.
Once the spices are roasted, remove the skillet from the heat and let them cool down completely.
Add them to a dry spice grinder (coffee grinder or a food processor) along with the following ingredients and grind to make a fine powder.
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- ¼ cup dry mango powder
- 2 tablespoon black salt
- 1 teaspoon regular white salt
Transfer the chat masala powder to an airtight container and store it in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
These two are different masalas, and their uses are also very different. While the garam masala spice mix uses warm spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, etc., chat masala is a mix of different spices and dry mango powder.
Garam masala is mainly used to enhance the aroma and flavor of the dish and is mainly added to curries, while chat masala is added to enhance the dish’s flavor and make it tangier. It can also be used to sprinkle on Indian chaats and fruits.
Since it adds a tangy and sour taste to the dishes, you can use black salt, dry mango powder, or lime juice instead of chat masala.
You can also add a combination of cumin powder, dry mango powder, red pepper powder, and salt.
Usage Suggestions
Chat masala is used to perk up the taste of any Indian food.
Sprinkle a little over your raita, curries, salad, or chaat, taking their taste slightly higher. I use it in my Tater Tots Chaat, Pani Puri, Papdi Chaat, Fruit Chaat, and Samosa Chaat recipes.
I also like adding it to my dry sabzi instead of dry mango powder.
Sprinkle it over Indian dry snacks like Namak Para, Masala Kaju, Peanut Masala, etc.
It is also added to drinks like Jaljeera, Lemonade, or Shikanji.
Sprinkle some over Tandoori Chicken, fried chicken, or deep-fried snacks, and see the taste lift.
I also like to sprinkle some over my Uttapam and Paniyaram.
Sometimes, I perk up sandwiches like Aloo Sandwich, Bombay Sandwich, or simple Cucumber Sandwich with a little sprinkle of this chat masala.
You can add a little to your Air Fryer Frozen French Fries, Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, Aloo Pakora, cut fruits, etc.
Unripe mangoes sprinkled with chaat masala taste yummy, too.
Storage Suggestions
Chat masala can be stored at room temperature in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 months. Keep it in a cool and dry place.
To increase its shelf life, you can refrigerate it. It will last for about 6 months.
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Homemade Chaat Masala Powder Recipe
Equipment
- Grinder
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds (dhaniya beej)
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- ½ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free)
- ¼ cup dry mango powder (amchoor)
- 2 tablespoons black salt (kala namak)
- 1 teaspoon regular white salt
Instructions
- Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns to a skillet and dry roast on medium heat until they begin to turn a little darker and give off their aromas (2-3 minutes).
- Stir often while roasting to prevent the spices from burning.
- Note – Do not roast the spices on high heat otherwise they might burn. Do not over roast the spices otherwise, they will turn bitter in taste. Keep in consideration that they will continue to roast from the residual heat.
- Once the spices are roasted, remove the skillet from the heat and let them cool down completely.
- Add them to a dry spice grinder (coffee grinder or a food processor) along with asafetida, mango powder, black salt, and white salt and grind to make a fine powder.
- Transfer the chaat masala powder to a glass container with a tight seal and store it in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months. Use in your favorite recipes and enjoy.
good recipe all the ingredients are what I like.
Yes and it was excellent.
Your chat masala recipe is excellent.
Good to know 🙂
Wow easy to make, thanks whiskaffair
Thanks
Best ever
Thanks
Is black salt absolutely necessary or can we use plain salt
You can use plain salt.
Please mention the capacity of cup used for measuring ingredients.
This is standard cup measurement.