Goda Masala Recipe : How to make Maharashtrian Goda Masala at Home

The freshness and taste of the homemade powder cannot be beaten. If you are fond of eating the tasty and spicy Maharashtrian food, then you must have this spice mix powder. The addition of the Goda Masala makes any dish very delicious and tasty. Its spreads it fragrance all over the area and makes the surrounding aromatic. The homemade powder is also more aromatic than store-bought.

The preparation of Goda Masala is a bit long and also time-consuming. It takes some efforts to roast all the spices individually making it a tiring process. But the final resulting taste and texture of the powder is worth all the hard work. Though the actual meaning of “Goda” means sweet, yet the taste of this spice powder is a bit complicated. It has complex flavours due to the blend of different spices.

There is some kind of depth in the texture, taste and flavours of the Goda Masala Powder. It is the most important spice mix powder of various Maharashtrian dishes. The blend of these spices in the Goda Masala Recipe is highly aromatic and flavourful. They come together to make a subtle, sweet and spicy flavoured mix. This masala can be added in all the classic Maharashtrian recipes as well many other curries.

Detailed Steps for Goda Masala Recipe:

It is very easy to prepare the Goda Masala at home. You have to roast the whole spices one by one and then grind them together into the powder form.

Pre-Preparation for Goda Masala:

Before you start, take a note that each ingredient is roasted separately on a low flame. You can roast the spices individually if you have time. Otherwise, you can skip roasting them one by one. Instead, roast everything together except the fragrant spices.

Roast Coriander Seeds:

• Take a non-stick fry pan and place it on the stove.
• Add 1 tsp. oil in the pan and turn on the flame.
• As the oil is hot enough, add coriander seeds (Dhania) in it.
• Stir the coriander seeds continuously and roast them.
• The properly roasted coriander seeds would be fragrant.
• As soon as the coriander seeds are well roasted, they will change their texture.
• Once their texture or colour changes, turn off the flame.
• Transfer them to a plate and keep them aside.

Roast Caraway Seeds:

• In the same pan, add 1 tsp. oil and heat it.
• Now, add caraway seeds (Shah Jeera) in the plan.
• Stir continuously and roast them on the medium flame.
• Roast till they become fragrant and change the texture.
• Once roasted properly, turn off the flame.
• Transfer them to the same plate with coriander seeds.

Roast Cumin Seeds:

• Again add 1 tsp. oil in the same pan and heat it.
• Add cumin seeds (Jeera) in the pan and roast.
• As they change colour, turn off the flame.
• Transfer these roasted cumin seeds in the same plate.

Roast Sesame Seeds:

• Then in the same pan, take sesame seeds.
• Do the same process for the sesame seeds.
• Keep stirring when roasting the sesame seeds.
• Transfer the roasted sesame seeds into the plate.

Roast Niger Seeds:

• Now, take the Niger seeds in that pan.
• Do the same process for the Niger Seeds.
• Roast and continuously keep stirring them.
• Wait till the Niger seeds are completely roasted.
• Then transfer them to the same plate.

Roast Desiccated Coconut:

• Add 1 tsp. oil again in the pan and heat it.
• Now, add desiccated coconut in the pan.
• Roast it until it turns golden brownish in colour.
• Keep stirring at regular intervals till it gets roasted.
• Remove the desiccated coconut on the same plate.

Roast Poppy Seeds:

• Again add 1 tsp. oil in the pan and heat it.
• Add poppy seeds (Khus Khus) in the pan.
• And roast the seeds properly over a low flame.
• Once roasted, take them out and keep it aside.

Roast Red Chillies with Hing:

• Add 1 tsp. oil again in the same fry pan and heat it.
• Now, add broken dry red chillies in the heated pan.
• Also, add 1 tsp. asafoetida in the same pan.
• Roast these two ingredients properly in the pan.
• After roasting them, transfer them to the same plate.

Note: Now, your plate must have these ingredients: roasted coriander seeds (Dhania), roasted caraway seeds (Shah Jeera), roasted cumin seeds (Jeera), roasted Niger seeds (Ramtil), roasted sesame seeds (Til), roasted desiccated coconut (Nariyal ki cheen), roasted poppy seeds (Khus Khus), roasted red chillies and asafoetida. Then proceed further with the remaining whole spices.

Roast Whole Spices:

• Now, roast all the remaining spices.
• Take in 1 tsp. oil in the pan and heat it.
• Add 5 units of cinnamon (Dalchini).
• Then add ½ tbsp. black pepper (Kali Mirch).
• Also, add bay leaves (Tej Patta).
• Mix both the cardamoms (Elaichi).
• Sprinkle some cobra’s saffron (Nag Kesar).
• Combine the star anise (Chakri Phool).
• Add the cloves (Lavang) roast in the pan.
• Then and stone flower (Pathar Phool).
• Roast everything till they get fragrant.
• Transfer these spices into a separate plate.

How to Make Goda Masala:

• Let all the ingredients and spices cool for some time.
• Now, take mixer-grinder jar and clean it using a dry cloth.
• Take anyone of the plate of the spices and grind it.
• Grind these whole spices to make very fine powder.
• Now, transfer the powder to a bowl and grind the other plate.
• Mix both the powder and sieve the mixture.
• Add the remaining pieces in the jar and again grind it to a fine powder.
• Now, transfer the Goda masala powder in the plate and let it cool down.
• Using spoon or knife, remove the Goda masala from the jar’s wall.
• Once the Goda masala powder is cooled, take it to the bowl.
• Mix the entire masala mixture properly once again with a spoon.
• Then transfer the prepared Goda masala into an air-tight jar or container.
• Use the Goda masala to add in the Maharashtrian dishes when needed.
• Store Goda masala powder in the container.
• Keep it in a dry place with a cool temperature.

Note: Do not use too fine sieve shaker.

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Remarks:

• If you have small mixer jar, then grind the spices in 3 to 4 batches.
• If you are making it in bulk, then also you must grind in separate batches.
• Do not over-roast any of the ingredients or it will spoil the taste of the masala.
• Do not burn the spices while roasting them else they will become bitter.
• The overcooked condiments and whole spices also become hard to grind.
• Because of the oil, you need to remove the stuck Goda masala powder from the jar’s wall.
• You can keep the Goda masala container and store it in the fridge.
• You can also keep it in the kitchen cupboard at the room temperature.
• The whole spices for this Goda Masala Recipe are always roasted.
• You can skip certain spices like Niger seeds if they are not available.

Serving Suggestion:

This is an aromatic masala for all types of Dal and Curry. This special blend of various Indian whole spices is usually used in a small quantity. It is either added at the end of cooking or fried in the beginning of cooking. It adds the strong aroma and the subtle flavour of the delicious dish. This spicy Goda masala powder is usually added to all types of curries, vegetable dishes, soups, or stews.

• Goda masala can be added to all the different types of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries.
• If you are using this spice powder then you must also add some souring agent and sweetener.
• This masala is the key ingredient in some of the regional Maharashtrian dishes like masala rice.
• It is also added during the preparation of the Vangi Bhaat, i.e. spiced brinjal rice.
• The sprinkle of this powder makes Baakar Bhaji, called as Pumpkin Curry unbelievably delicious.
• Add it to make Bharli Vangi, also called as stuffed brinjal/aubergines or stuffed eggplant.
• This spicy and tasty spice powder is also added to make the stuffed Okra at home.
• You can use the Goda masala powder to prepare the Tondli Bhaat (Spiced Ivy Gourd Rice).
• The most common dish prepared with this powder is Dal Amti. It is one kind of Maharashtrian dal made from pigeon pea lentils.
• If you are making Matki Usal, then also you can use this powder. It is the spiced Maharashtrian curry made with Matki or moth beans.

If you are using the goda masala powder in your everyday cooking, then you must make small batch of the powder. The fresher the powder, the better would be the taste of your lentils and veggies. For the serving of around 2 to 3 people, you must add 1 tsp. goda masala powder. Always add it in small quantity. It must not overpower the original taste of the dish. While making the subzi or dal, add this powder at the end of cooking. It gives really unique taste, aroma and flavours.

Quick Tip:

• Roasting releases the flavourful oils from the spices.
• You can also sun-dry the few whole spices used for Goda Masala Recipe.
• You can sundry poppy seeds, sesame seeds, Niger seeds, asafoetida and desiccated coconut.
• While you roast the different ingredients in the same pan, do not add oil each time.
• There will be some residue oil in the pan which is enough to roast the ingredients.
• To get the darker colour of desiccated coconut, you have to roast it little more.
• The extra roasting also helps in giving a longer shelf life to the masala.
• Roast for the longer time also gives a really good aroma, depth and flavour.
• Garam Masala can be substituted for the Goda Masala Powder but not always.
• The shelf life of any spice powder can be increased with the sprinkling of salt.

To give the dish touch of authentic Maharashtrian flavours, you can sprinkle little quantity of Goda Masala Powder. This masala gets its distinctive taste and its unique refreshing flavours from the Stone flower. It is one of the most integral elements of this spice powder recipe. This special Maharashtrian spice blend adds special flavours to various Maharashtrian cuisine.

All these aromatic spices give a very spicy taste to the dish but you can add in little proportion to maintain the taste. It also infuses subtle sweetness along with the spiciness. There is more of sweet smelling spices rather than heated spices in this spice mix. This homemade Maharashtrian spice powder mix can be added to any classic dish. Prepare the spice powder with ease and enjoy!

You can add a small pinch of the Goda Masala to any Maharashtrian dish. The small batches of powder is always handy and useful while preparing the vegetable dish or curry. Even this spice mix powder can be added to all the lentils or rice dishes. It is an interesting spice mix to make at home.

The base of this masala powder is the desiccated coconut which is guaranteed to make you nostalgic. It leaves a strong impression of the taste on your taste buds. Sprinkle of this masala powder immediately changes the taste of curry from ordinary to extra ordinary. There is misconception that addition of coconut reduces the shelf life of the goda masala. But if the coconut if roasted properly, then it increase the life of the goda masala powder.

The key to store the masala powder at the room temperature. If carefully stored in a container, then the goda masala powder can last up to a year. Its taste and flavours both remain good. If you have always bought the powder from store, then you might be wondering how to make Goda Masala at home. This masala powder from the Maharashtrian cuisine is really simple to try provided you have all the ingredient available in your kitchen.

No matter how much best brand masala powder you use, it’s best to make it at home. Though it takes extra time and efforts, but then it is healthy and hygienic. For the beginners, it is always advisable to try making these spice powders in the small batches first. The preparation of the Goda Masala powder varies from house to house. Each household has its own proportion of masala’s.

There are many different kind of Goda Masala found in stores or you can even make at home. The type of Goda Masala you can prepare is dependent on the availably of ingredients required to use. Also, there is huge impact of the regional preference in flavours of Masala along with the personal taste. Though the proportion of spices may vary but there are some fixed basic ingredients used.

Some common ingredients required for Goda Masala powder are cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, white sesame seeds, coriander seeds, coconut flakes, cassia buds, dagad phool (lichen) and white and black peppercorns. To make goda masala, all these spices are roasted in very little oil. These whole spices are roasted till they become darker in colour. Then they are ground to a powder.

Important Whole Spices for Goda Masala:

• Stone Flower – It is an important ingredient for taste and flavours of goda masala. It is also known as rock flower. It is also known as kalpasi, patthar phool or dagad phool.
• Cobra’s Saffron – This an integral herb used to impart the authentic flavours of the goda masala. It is also known as mesua ferrea, ceylon ironwood or nagkesar/nagkeshar.
• Niger Seeds – These small and tiny black seeds are very important for the smell and taste. It is also known as karale, khurasni or Ramtil.
• Desiccated Coconut – It imparts great taste and flavours. You can also use grated coconut.
• Sesame Seeds – The til are very important for any masala powder. They infuse great texture and aroma.

All of the above mentioned ingredients are very important to prepare the Goda Masala powder at home. Some common whole spices for this masala powder are cardamom, cinnamon, coriander seed, cloves, bay leaf, and peppercorns. It is not very easy to get all of the ingredients whenever you want to make the powder at home.

It may be difficult to find stone flower, cobra’s saffron and Niger seeds. You might not get all of them easily from the market. If you are unable to collect all the important ingredients to make the Goda Masala, then you can skip adding nagkeshar/cobra’ saffron and Niger seeds.

But, you must not skip to add 0skip stone flower or dagad phool in your Goda Masala Powder. It gives the powder the authentic taste and the touch of traditional version. Also, its earthy woody fragrant gives the uniqueness and freshness.

If do not have desiccated coconut, then you can try some of its variation. Twist the taste of the goda masala by adding desiccated coconut flakes. The goda masala powder also tastes best when you use dried coconut shells. You can also grate and roast the dried coconut before adding to the powder. The roasting gives more intense flavour and dark texture than desiccated coconut flakes.

What is Goda Masala?

The Goda Masala is a blend of various common Indian condiments and spices. It is widely used in the food dishes of the Maharashtra region of India and its neighbouring states. There are various different types and variations of the Goda Masala based on the regions and individual preference.

The ingredients used in the making of Goda Masala Powder can vary from one region to region. All the whole spices are first roasted in the oil till they become darker in colour and crispy in texture. Then these spices are mixed together and ground.

When you roast the spices for a very long time, they become dark in colour. In this masala powder, you intentionally roast the spices enough so they attain dark brown colour. Because of this, sometimes the Goda Masala powder is also known as ‘Kaala Masala‘.

Unique Masala Powder for Maharashtrian Food:

There are many masala powders used in the Maharashtrian food. The two most common and unique masala powders are:

• Kanda Lahsun Masala (Onion Garlic Masala)
• Kala Masala (Black Masala)

Though the kala masala or the black masala is the term which is also used for the goda masala, but both these spice powders are different.

Difference between Kala Masala and Goda Masala

The most important difference is the addition of onions in the Kala Masala. In the preparation of the Kala Masala Powder, the onions slices and sun-dried. Then once they become crispy, they are saluted in the oil. They are fried till they turn golden and become crunchy. The onions must be powdered easily after you break them. All the other ingredients and spices remain same in both.

The dark brownish black colour is infused in the Kala Masala powder due to the fried onions. It is only because of the colour that this spice powder is called as ‘kala’. The word means very dark and black in Hindi. The extra black colour is also due to extra roasting of the whole spices. Yet, there is still little argument as to whether these both spice powders are same or not.

As the term ‘Kaala’ means black in Marathi, this powder with extra roasted spices is called Kala Masala. The main difference between ‘Kaala Masala’ and ‘Goda Masala’ is because of the proportions of certain spices. The point of difference is the degree to which various spices are toasted. Also the change of ingredient in goda masala like sesame seeds and coconut flakes.

How to Select Goda Masala Powder:

The ready goda masala powder is easily available in the grocery stores. The powdered form of the whole spices is tough to store but the whole spices stay fresh for longer time. Whether you buy the whole spices or the ground spice powder, it is important to select properly.

If you are getting the whole spices from the market, then choose the spices which stay fresh for much longer. These spices can be roasted and ground when needed in the grinder or a mortar-pestle. Whereas, if you are buying packaged goda masala, then you must check the expiry date. Also, before buying the goda masala powder, check if there is any sign of moisture or lumpiness inside the packet.

Though there are various brands which make the goda masala, but you must only the best. Yet, no matter what it is always best to make this masala at home. At times, it does have an extra effort but the taste of homemade masala cannot be beaten.

How to Store Goda Masala Powder:

The prepared Goda Masala Powder does not remain fresh and aromatic for many days. If kept open then the ground spices will soon begin to lose their aroma. So, you must store the powdered goda masala in an airtight container. Place the powdered form of the whole spices in a cool dark place.

Once you store it in the airtight container, then keep the container in the refrigerator. The goda masala powder stays good and edible for more than 6 months if stored properly. If you are preparing the powder in the bigger batch, then so something to increase its shelf-life.

So, for the large batches of the goda masala powder, before storing in the container, sprinkle some salt. Add the salt on the top layer and then store the powder in the big container. For the everyday use, remove smaller portion of the Goda Masala Powder in a small container and use.

The mentioned proportion of the spices in this recipe yields about 250 grams of goda masala. It is always advisable to usually make a small batches of these spice powders around 100 grams. The Goda Masala powder can stay for months or only a month depending on your usage.

Health Benefits of Goda Masala Powder:

There are not much of health benefits associated with the goda masala powder. Also, as we add the goda masala powder in minor quantities, we cannot get substantial health benefits. However, the digestion of the body is improved with the use of cloves and peppercorns. Also, various spices used in the preparation of Goda Masala Recipe or Goda powder aids the immune functions of the body.