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    Masala & Chai » Recipes

    The Basics to Indian Cooking

    Master the essentials in our Indian Basics section, where cooking tips, ingredient breakdowns, and step-by-step tutorials for from-scratch ingredients come together.

    Learn how to make staples like Ginger-Garlic Paste, understand aromatic spices like Kashmiri Chili Powder or perfect kitchen rituals such as How to Make Ghee. These foundational guides will give you the confidence to cook easier and smarter—whether you’re a beginner or an avid home cook.

    Resources and Knowledge Articles

    • Fruit chaat, samosa chaat, nachos chaat, and dahi vada chaat with a text overlay "the ultimate guide to Indian Chaat, + recipes to try".
      The Ultimate Guide to Indian Chaat
    • Kashmiri Chili powder in a ceramic bowl.
      What is Kashmiri Chili Powder?
    • A collage of kitchen equipment with the post title.
      Indian Cooking Tools
    • brass masala dabba filled with spices
      How to Use a Masala Dabba

    Scratchmade Ingredients

    • Ginger garlic paste in a bowl with fresh ginger and garlic surrounding.
      How to make Ginger Garlic Paste
    • homemade dahi in two bowls with a spoon and boondi
      How to make Dahi (Indian Curd Yogurt)
    • homemade paneer cut up in rectangles on a plate with appetizer picks
      How to Make Homemade Paneer
    • Homemade ghee in a glass jar.
      How to make Homemade Ghee

    How to make the Basics

    • basmati rice in a platter with lemon slices and a gold spoon.
      How to Cook Stovetop Basmati Rice
    • A stack of roti and folded roti in a tortilla warmer.
      How to Make Indian Roti

    Beginner Recipes

    • whole masoor dal in a bowl with rice and a gold spoon
      Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils)
    • Two glasses of mango lassis in a platter with green cardamom pods.
      Restaurant-Style Mango Lassi
    • paneer aloo samosas in a bowl with chutneys and chai
      Paneer Aloo Samosa
    • peanut chaat in black bowl on black plate with chili peppers and an extra plate
      Peanut Chaat

    • What is Chutney?
    • Tamarind Date Chutney (Imli Chutney)
    • Nimbu ka Achar (Pickled Lemon)
    • Puri
    • Coconut Chutney
    • Milk Barfi
    • Masala Chai
    • How to make Mango Juice
    • How to Make Bhatura (Fried Bread)
    • Mom's Cilantro-Mint Chutney
    Shweta in a Professional Kitchen with milkshakes.

    Hi, I'm Shweta!

    I've been learning how to cook Indian food since I was a young girl in the kitchen with my mom. I'm currently living in Phoenix, AZ. I’m a full time tech consultant who also enjoys eating out at restaurants, discovering and supporting small business, and cozying up with a cup of chai.

    Read More

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      Masala Chai
    • bottle of chai concentrate with a wood lid on a brass platter
      Chai Concentrate
    • butter chicken in a bowl with garlic naan
      Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
    • sweet cream cold foam cold brew in a glass on a plate
      Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam

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    All recipes and photos on Masala and Chai are copyrighted and require permission before use. Contact Masala and Chai, LLC for permission.