Chicken Masala | Traditional Indian Spice Blend | Rich & Aromatic Flavor

The smell that tells you Sunday lunch is happening There is a point in making chicken curry when the masala hits the hot oil and the kitchen changes. The aroma spreads before the dish is ready, before anyone is called to eat. That moment depends almost entirely on the quality of the spice blend — how the individual spices were selected, whether they were ground together or separately, and how recently. Shardai Masale's Chicken Masala is built around that moment. It is a small-batch, hand-blended masala made to produce the depth of flavour and colour that home cooks recognise as the real thing. What goes into it The masala is blended from twelve whole spices: cumin, coriander, onion, fennel, methi, hing, haldi, cloves, black pepper, mace, bay leaf, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard, star anise, dagad phool, and triphala, finished with edible oil and salt. Several of these are worth noting specifically. Dagad phool — stone flower or kalpasi — is a lichen used almost exclusively in Maharashtrian and South Indian cooking. It has a deep, earthy, slightly smoky quality that does not appear in standard commercial masala blends and is largely responsible for the characteristic base note of a well-made Kolhapuri or home-style chicken rassa. Star anise and mace add a warm, slightly sweet top note. Triphala — a traditional Ayurvedic combination of three fruits — adds a subtle complexity that rounds the flavour without standing out as a separate taste. This is not a generic chicken masala formula. It is a blend that reflects a specific regional understanding of how chicken curry should taste. How to use it The masala works in a straightforward way. Sauté onions until golden, add ginger-garlic paste, add the chicken, and stir in the Shardai Chicken Masala with a little water or tomato. Cook on medium heat until the oil separates from the masala and the chicken is cooked through. The resulting gravy is a deep reddish-brown with a layered spice note — not sharp or one-dimensional, but full and sustained. It suits chicken curry, chicken gravy with rice or bhakri, dry masaledar chicken as a side dish, and spicy marinated preparations before grilling or roasting. At 100 grams per pack, it covers multiple meals depending on portion size and preference for intensity. Why it cooks differently from supermarket blends Mass-produced chicken masalas are typically made with ground dried spice powders, filler starches, and standardised heat levels designed for broad appeal. Shardai Masale prepares this blend from whole spices in small batches, without artificial colours or chemical preservatives. The difference shows in the colour of the curry — a natural deep red-brown rather than the fluorescent orange of colour-enhanced blends — and in the way the flavour develops during cooking rather than arriving all at once. The packaging is resealable and airtight, designed to retain the aroma of the freshly ground spices between uses. Specifications Ingredients: Cumin, coriander, onion, fennel, methi, hing, haldi, cloves, black pepper, mace, bay leaf, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard, star anise, dagad phool, triphala, edible oil, salt Shelf Life: 6 months from date of manufacture Preservatives: None Artificial colours: None Packaging: Resealable kraft stand-up pouch Storage Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture. Keep the pouch sealed between uses to preserve aroma and freshness. Do not store near the stovetop or in a humid kitchen cabinet. Use within 6 months of manufacture for best flavour. About the Entrepreneur Saloni has been in the spice-making business for the past five to six years. She received spice-making training from Mann Deshi and started her spice business. Now, with proper packaging and the right documentation arranged through Mann Deshi, her products can be placed for sale in various shops in the market.