Maharashtrian Goda Masala Recipe

This goda masala is the base or main ingredient for many Maharashtrian dishes like amti, matki usal, misal pav, bharli bhendi, tondli chi bhaji, etc.

❤️ You’ll Love This Goda Masala Recipe

Better than store-bought: When you make homemade goda masala, it has better freshness, aroma and flavor than ready-made packs. Quick to make: If you’ve all the whole spices in your pantry then it’ll take only 30 minutes (from roasting to grinding). Taste & Flavor: Unlike garam masala, this is pungent but not hot. You’ll find many variations depending on the regional preference and personal preference.

🧾 Ingredients For Homemade Goda Masala

Here is the pic of whole spices used to make goda masala powder. The one ingredient – nag kesar (cassia buds) is not available here in the USA, so I have skipped it.

Some say both are somewhat similar with a few differences like the amount of certain spices and the degree to which they are roasted. For kala masala, the spices are roasted a little more so the spices turn almost black. Hence the powdered masala is darker in color. So the name is kala (meaning black) masala. While Marathi Brahmins say goda masala and kala masala are not the same..

Dagad phool (stone flower or pathar phool): It is also known as rock flower or kalpasi. It is available in the Indian grocery stores. Desiccated coconut & Sesame seeds: These two add a nutty and creamy flavor to the masala. These two are dry roasted until golden. Rest ingredients (except turmeric, salt, hing) are roasted in a tiny amount of oil.

By roasting the spices, they release their natural essential oil and create a greater depth of flavor and robustness.

👩‍🍳 How To Make Goda Masala? (Pics)

3 points to remember while roasting the spices

Keep the gas heat MEDIUM-LOW. Keep stirring them constantly for even browning. Roast each and every spice separately (one-by-one), do not rush.

Start with desiccated coconut. Dry roast it with stirring continuously until it is golden brown in color. Remove it to a plate.
Then dry roast the sesame seeds. Once roasted, they get a little dark in color, impart a nice nutty aroma and seeds start to pop (or splutter out of the pan). Remove it to the same plate.
Now add 1-2 drops of oil and add bay leaves. Roast them until dark in color and make sure they don’t get burned.
Again add 2 drops of oil and roast dagad phool similarly. Remove it from the pan.
Add 2 drops of oil and roast dried red chilies. Once roasted, you’ll get a smokey aroma and they darken (almost black) in color. Do not burn them otherwise it ruins the flavor and taste of the masala.
Roast the cinnamon stick with 2 drops of oil. Once roasted it gets darker in color and will open up.
Similarly, roast the cumin seeds until they are golden brown in color. It gives a nice roasted aroma.
For coriander seeds add ½ teaspoon of oil and roast until golden brown in color and imparts a sweet, toasty aroma.
Roast the cloves with 2 drops of oil. In this case, there will be no color change, just a slight roasted aroma and it’s done.
Similarly, roast the black peppercorns.
Let everything cool down completely to room temperature.
Take everything into the spice grinder jar, add salt, hing and turmeric powder and make a powder. Due to the oil used while roasting and dry coconut, sesame seeds release some oil while grinding, you may need to scrape the sides while grinding. Plus, you may have to use the pulse motion instead of blending it in the one go to avoid lumpy masala.

💭 Expert Tips

While the grinding process, masala may get warmed up. So let the ground masala cool down and then store it in the container. This recipe can be doubled or tripled as needed. Even though goda masala has red chilies in it, you’ll still need to add a small amount of red chili powder to the dish. If making a big batch then you may need to grind it in batches. Collect the ground masala in a large bowl and mix all the batches properly.

🥣 Storage & Shelf Life

It must be stored in an airtight container or jar. I prefer to keep the jar in the refrigerator, but you can store it at room temperature. It stays fresh for up to 6 months depending on the climate where you live. In humid weather, it doesn’t stay fresh for longer compared to dry, cold weather. Always use the clean and dry spoon to take the required amount of spice powder. Moisture is the big enemy when it comes to shelf life, so make sure to use the clean dry jar to store and make sure that spoon is not wet while using the masala.