It looks like a long list of ingredients. It is a long list of ingredients. Stick with it.

This tandoori masala recipe is the dry spice blend that goes into a tandoori marinade — and once you've made it from scratch, you'll understand why the pre-mixed versions from a jar taste so flat by comparison. Ground fresh in the Wahl spice grinder that's been doing this job in this kitchen since 2012, this tandoori masala recipe produces a warm, complex blend that works as a dry rub or as the base of a yoghurt marinade paste.

For the colour — skip the artificial red food colouring. Beetroot powder does the same job naturally and produces a spectacular result, as you can see in the Tandoori Chicken Wings recipe on this site.

The Tandoori Masala Recipe

The Dry Spice Blend

• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1½ tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 1 tsp ground fenugreek
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

Method — Dry Blend

1. Lightly toast any whole spices in a dry pan until fragrant. Leave to cool completely.
2. Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
3. Store the remaining ground spice mix in a sterilised jar with a tight-fitting lid in a cool, dark place. Use within 3 months.

The Tandoori Marinade Paste

To turn the dry blend into a marinade paste:

• A good dollop of Greek yoghurt
• A generous splash of oil
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 heaped tsp beetroot powder — for that deep natural red colour
• Salt to taste
• 3–4 tbsp of the tandoori masala dry blend

Mix together until you have a thick, deeply coloured paste. Coat your chicken, lamb or fish generously, cover, and marinate in the fridge for at least 2–4 hours. Bring to room temperature before cooking in a very hot oven. Serve with salad and a wedge of lemon.

Footnote This tandoori masala recipe is part of my Curry Recipes collection — the complete guide to curries, spice blends, bases, chutneys and sides from The Flexible Chef. Explore the full Curry Recipes hub.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef