A mixture of spices used in Indian cooking, or any dish prepared with such spice mixtures. Can refer to both dry spice blends and wet spice pastes.
From Hindi मसाला (masālā) and Urdu مسالہ (masāla), derived from Arabic مَصْلَحَة (maṣlaḥa) meaning 'spice' or 'ingredient'. The word entered English in the 18th century through British colonial encounters with Indian cuisine and spice trading.
Masala originally comes from an Arabic word meaning 'ingredients' - because spice blends were so central to trade between Arab merchants and Indian cooks! Every Indian family has their own secret masala recipes passed down through generations, making each household's cooking unique.
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