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Indian · Punjabi

Hariyali green masala

Vegetarian

हरियाली मसाला · hariyālī masālā

A vivid green wet masala of fresh coriander and mint blended with green chillies, ginger, garlic, roasted cumin, lemon and a little oil. Stirred into yoghurt for hariyali tikka, or fried as the base of green chicken and paneer curries.

Hariyali green masala is an Indian condiment, ready in about 17 minutes and made with coriander leaves, mint and green chilli. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
2 min
Total
17 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
60

Ingredients

4 portions (about 65 g, enough to marinate 500 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Wash the coriander and mint (opens in a new tab) in several changes of water and shake dry; pick the mint leaves off their woody stems.

    • 6 min

  2. Step 2

    Dry-roast the cumin seeds (opens in a new tab) in a small pan over medium heat for 1 minute until a shade darker, then crush.

  3. Step 3

    Blend the chillies, ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab), cumin, lemon juice (opens in a new tab), oil, salt and half the water first, then pack the herbs on top and blend in short bursts, adding the remaining ice-cold water only as needed, to a smooth, thick paste.

    Short bursts and cold water keep it bright green; long blending heats and darkens the herbs.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer to a jar and press cling film onto the surface, or freeze in an ice-cube tray.

About this dish

Origin
North India; similar green masalas in Goa and Mumbai, India · Commonly attributedA home formulation of the hariyali paste used for kebabs and curries; Goan cafreal and East Indian green masalas add vinegar and whole spices instead.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Blended, No-cook
Taste
herby, fresh, spicy (chilli heat), garlicky
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Coriander leaves · Mint · Green chilli · Fresh ginger · Garlic · Cumin seeds
Techniques
Spice roasting (dry-roasting) · Wet grinding · Emulsification

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

60 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 65 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 33%
  • Fat 58%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy60 kcal93 kcal
Protein1.5 g2.3 g
Carbohydrate5.4 g8.3 g
Net carbohydrate3.6 g5.6 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.8 g2.7 g
Fat4.2 g6.5 g
Saturated fat0.3 g0.5 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium502 mg773 mg
Salt equivalent1.3 g1.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
251 mg
Calcium
56 mg
Iron
2.3 mg
Magnesium
21 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
108 µg
Vitamin C
24 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
29 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • For hariyali tikka, mix one portion with 150 g thick yoghurt, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tbsp roasted gram flour per 500 g chicken or paneer.
  • A handful of blanched spinach keeps the colour greener when cooked.

Common mistakes

  • Cooking it on high heat for long, which turns it khaki and bitter — add it late and cook gently.

Serve with

  • Hariyali chicken or paneer tikka, green chicken curry and hara bhara kebab.
  • Spread in sandwiches or stir into rice.

Food safety

  • Raw garlic, ginger and herbs held in oil at room temperature can support Clostridium botulinum; keep this paste refrigerated and use it within the stated time, or freeze it.
  • Wash herbs thoroughly; they carry soil bacteria and are not cooked before freezing.

Storage

  • Refrigerate under cling film for up to 3 days; freeze cubes for 3 months.

Variations

  • Goan cafreal masala: Add vinegar, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and poppy seeds for the green marinade of chicken cafreal.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

About this masala

Type
Wet masala
Texture
Smooth paste
One batch makes
about 260 g
Keeps
about 3 months
Store
Frozen in portions
Recipe
Traditional

North India. Makes Green masala (hariyali paste), the ingredient our dish recipes list. All masalas

Used in

None of our dish recipes use it yet — it keeps well, so it’s worth having on the shelf.

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 3

Reviews & corrections

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