Homemade Tandoori Masala Paste Recipe | Easy & Authentic

Mobasir hassan
29 August
1

Tandoori masala  recipe at home | tandoori sauce recipe

Tandoori masala is a very well known masala in the subcontinent of India, Bangladesh, Nepal , Pakistan and Afganistan. People of these regions love  to eat tandoori food items. And most of the tandoori foods are made by marinating with this tandoori sauce or masala paste.

Tandoori masala in a bowl

This masala is also known as tandoori red masala paste in hotels and restaurant.

What is tandoori masala 

Tandoori masala is a spice mix of different spices. It can be either of dry masala powder or masala paste. This masala is used to marinate food items that are cooked in a clay oven tandoor. Tandoori masala provides a savory, aromatic and lightly spicy flavor. 

Tandoori paste recipe

The easy and popular version of this tandoori masala is the tandoori masala paste.  Different spice powder are mixed in a yoghurt based marination is called tandoori paste or tandoori masala paste.

Tandoori masala is a mix of spices used to marinate tandoori foods. Commercially it comes as a dry powder but at home or in restaurants you can make it as a masala paste with yoghurt. To make this masala you need Kashmiri chilly paste.  Without this chilly paste you cannot get the red colour like the one you get in restaurants kababs and tikkas. In India we make this masala as a paste with hung curd or thick yoghurt. All the ingredients are mixed with the curd. Mustard oil is another important ingredient for a authentic tandoori masala paste recipe

In India we make this masala as a paste with hung curd or thick yoghurt. All the ingredients are mixed with the curd. Mustard oil is another important ingredient for a authentic tandoori masala paste recipe.

Steps to make this paste

preparation

The most important ingredient is the curd to make the masala. And it should  preferably be a hung  curd , overnight hung curd is perfect. There should not be any excess water in the curd.

First take a mixing bowl and add the hung curd. Then add ginger garlic paste, kashmiri chilly paste, cumin powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, salt, chat masala, black salt, black pepper powder, cooking oil, mustard oil and lemon juice.

Now whisk everything together nicely so that the masala paste become smooth.

Check the seasoning of the masala paste.
You can also add Vinegar instead of lemon juice. Mixing properly using a Whisk is important as every ingredients should mix properly.

In place of mustard oil you can use cooking oil as well but mustard oil gives a nice flavour to the resulting dish after cooking.

This is how you can make a tandoori masala paste to cook most of the kabab and tikka.

Now its ready the Tandoori masala also known as Tandoori Red masala.

Yogurt Red Chilly Paste ginger garlic paste Food recipe

Cumin powder Garam masala Chat masala chilly powder Curd in mixing bowl food recipe

Healthy Dinner Recipe food recipe bookmylunch

 

Important thing 

To give it a distinct Red color , Kashmiri chilly paste is used. You can avoid it. But the chicken Tikka and tandoori chicken are Red in color and you only get this type of color using the Kashmiri chilly paste.

Pieces of Kashmiri chilly in plate food recipe

Difference between  Tandoori masala and Garam masala 
  • Tandoori masala is used to marinate food items that are cooked in a tandoor. While garam masala is used in a cooked food to give it an additional flavour.
  • Tandoori masala is a mix of many masala where garam masala is also used but in garam masala some whole spices are used to make it.
  • Garam masala comes in a powder form whereas Tandoori masala comes in both powder and form and paste form.
When it comes to tandoori food's, tandoori masala is very important as almost 80% of all tandoori foods are prepared with tandoori masala.

Tandoori food's like chicken Tikka, tandoori chicken, fish tikka and paneer Tikka  are all cooked using tandoori masala.

These foods are cooked basically by a traditional cooking method, the most popular one is ovalclay charcoal tandoor.

You can read some delicious recipes made by using a charcoal tandoor.
Tandoori food items are very tasty and healthy as foods are prepared using open fire. Less amount of oil is used to make them and the food get cooked in its own juice.

Tandoori foods are Crispy, juicy and very soft in texture. So to make a perfect and tasty  tandoori food items , you need a perfect Tandoori masala.

Uses of this masala paste
  • To make tandoori chicken, chicken tikka this paste is used to marinate.
  • Tandoori paneer tikka, mushroom and other tandoori vegetables are also marinated with this masala paste.
  • It is also used to make butter chicken and chicken tikka masala.
  • Seafood like prawns, fish and crabs are also cooked with this to make tandoori crab, tandoori prawns and fish tikka.

Tracking calories in your tandoori dishes? Paste the ingredients into our Indian Food Calorie Calculator and see nutrition breakdowns for each recipe variation.

Homemade Tandoori Masala Paste Recipe

Homemade Tandoori Masala Paste Recipe

Authentic Tandoori Masala Paste prepared with yogurt, Kashmiri red chilli paste, and aromatic spices. Perfect for marinating meats, seafood, and vegetables to get that smoky restaurant-style tandoori flavor.

Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Total time:
Serving: 2 portions
Author:

Ingredients

  • 200 gm hung curd or Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 3 tsp Kashmiri red chilli paste
  • 2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chat masala
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
  • 1/4 tsp rock salt (kala namak)
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 tsp mustard oil
  • 2 tsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Mix Yogurt & Spices: In a mixing bowl, add yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chilli paste, red chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chat masala, black pepper powder, rock salt, and regular salt.
  2. Whisk everything together until smooth.
  3. Add Oils: Pour in mustard oil and cooking oil. Whisk again for 1 minute until the oil blends well into the paste.
  4. Finish with Lemon Juice: Add lemon juice and give a final mix.
  5. Your homemade Tandoori Masala Paste is ready to use.

Chef’s Tips

  • Use hung curd or Greek yogurt for a thick, rich masala paste.
  • Kashmiri chilli paste gives a vibrant red color without too much heat.
  • Mustard oil adds authentic flavor, but you can replace with normal oil if preferred.
  • Always whisk well so oil is fully incorporated with yogurt.
  • Marinate meats or veggies for at least 2–3 hours (or overnight) for best results.

Nutritional Information (Per Portion, Approx)

  • Calories: 95 kcal
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Fibre: 1 g

FAQs

Q: Can I store tandoori masala paste?
A: Yes, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.

Q: What’s the difference between tandoori powder and paste?
A: Powder is a dry spice mix, while paste combines yogurt, oil, and spices, ready for marination.

Q: Can I make this recipe vegan?
A: Yes, substitute yogurt with thick coconut or soy yogurt.

Q: What dishes can I use this paste in?
A: Perfect for chicken tikka, tandoori prawns, paneer tikka, or even grilled vegetables.

Video

 Tandoori masala paste recipe video

Some famous recipes made using Tandoori red masala :-

Tandoori Pomfret recipe

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1 Comments
  • My Homegrocers
    My Homegrocers April 13, 2021 at 10:02 AM

    Article was very useful. Thanks for sharing.
    indian groceries online

    Reply
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