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Spices & seasonings · Spice blends

Malvani masala

Fiery red Konkan-coast blend of dried chillies, coriander and many whole spices for Malvani fish and chicken curries.

Also called: malvani masala powder, konkani masala

Around the world: मालवणी मसाला (mr)

A kind of spices

Make it yourself: Malvani masala

What it is

Malvani masala comes from the Malvan coast of southern Maharashtra. It is a deep red powder made mostly of roasted dried chillies (mild, colourful bedgi plus a few hot ones) and coriander seeds, with a long list of whole spices such as pepper, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, black cardamom, fennel, mustard, fenugreek, poppy seeds, nutmeg and mace. Families traditionally grind a year's supply each summer.

How it’s used

  • Malvani fish curry and prawn curry
  • Kombdi vade (Malvani chicken curry)
  • Rubbed on fish before rava frying
  • Sukka (dry) mutton and chicken

Characteristics

Taste
Hot, deeply spiced and slightly bitter-aromatic.
Appearance
Brick-red, fine powder.
Sold as
ground
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning
Common in
Indian

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight and dark for about 4 months, or in the fridge for longer.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Mustard.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains mustard seeds.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
325 kcal
Protein
14.29 g
Carbohydrate
55.83 g
Fat
14.01 g
Fibre
53.2 g
Sugars
2.76 g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, curry powder (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cayenne / chilli powder — Kashmiri chilli powder with a little garam masala and ground coriander gives a rough approximation.

Related ingredients

Recipes with malvani masala

No recipe in the catalogue uses it yet.

More spice blends