An electric grinder is required to grind all of the spices.  I use one that is intended for coffee beans and have reserved it just for spices.  All of the whole spices used in this recipe can be found in any Indian grocery store, and you aren’t likely to find the majority of ingredients anywhere else.  You’ll enjoy traveling through the spice aisle and seeing what’s available.  This is a great place to stock up— you’ll find spices are much cheaper than any standard market.  Fill up your spice container, then store the remainder in the fridge.

Store chaat masala in the refrigerator for up to one year.  This recipe comes courtesy of my favorite Indian cookbook author, Neelam Batra (her book 1000 Indian Recipes).

Try sprinkling some chaat masala on fresh cut fruit and vegetables such as melon, peach, radish, tomato and cucumber.  Or try this watermelon salad…

Watermelon Salad with Cucumber, Radish and Lime

Ingredients:

• 1/3 tablespoon cumin seeds, dry-roasted and ground
• ¼ cup mango powder (amchoor)
• 3 tablespoon dried mint leaves, ground
• 2 tablespoons tamarind powder
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground ajwain seeds
• 1 to 2 tablespoons salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon black salt
• 1 tablespoon citric acid
• 1 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground asafoetida

Method:

In a heavy skillet, roast all of the spices together, stirring and shaking the pan over medium-low heat until warmed through and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Watch the pan carefully to prevent spices from burning—shaking the pan frequently will help in this way. Let cool, then store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.  Or store in the fridge for longer life.