Regional blends
Chettinad masala
The peppery, aromatic blend of Tamil Nadu's Chettinad region, with kalpasi and fennel.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for cooks, makers and the curious.
Chettinad is a region of Tamil Nadu with a distinct cuisine of its own, known for a hot, peppery and highly aromatic style. Its masala is made from a long list of whole spices dry roasted and ground.
What goes in
- Coriander seed528%, Base.
- Dried red chilli422%, Heat.
- Fennel317%, Sweetness.
- Black pepper317%, Bite.
- Star anise16%, Anise.
- Stone flower16%, Kalpasi.
- Cinnamon16%, Sweet.
Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.
Made step by step
Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.
Step 1: Toast Dry roast the chillies and coriander separately. Step 2: Toast Roast the fennel, pepper and star anise. Step 3: Toast Briefly toast the kalpasi and cinnamon. Step 4: Grind Cool and grind in batches. Step 5: Blend Mix well and sieve. Step 6: Store Store in a sealed jar. Finished Chettinad masala, by share.
Local ingredients
Kalpasi, a stone flower lichen, marathi mokku, or dried flower buds, and fennel are linked to the style. Black pepper and red chilli provide the heat. The Chettiar trading community carried the cuisine across Southeast Asia.
Use
The mixture goes into chicken, mutton and egg curries and into vegetable dishes. Each household has its own version.
Where it is used
The spices in it
Black pepperHeat.
FennelSweetness.
CorianderThe leaves and dried seeds of an annual Mediterranean herb used in cuisines worldwide.
Chili pepperThe pungent berry of the Capsicum plant, used to add heat to dishes worldwide.
CinnamonThe dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.Also part of it, and being written: Star anise (Aroma.).
More on EveryMasala
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Chili pepper: Takeaway, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fennel: Elekes Andor, CC BY 4.0, source
- Black pepper: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Coriander: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Black pepper: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source