Chicken Masala

Most of the chicken masalas are simply garam masala with a different name: six spices, flat heat, nothing special made for chicken. This one is. Garlic and onion are not measured by the pinch, but by the spoon. Dry mango cuts the richness with tang. The smoky lichen that makes our paneer and pav bhaji blends is stone flower, and it adds another dimension to the mix that a generic blend can't match.

What is it?

Cold-ground and packed in an air-tight pouch, a blend of chilli, black pepper, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, salt, garlic, onion, clove, stone flower, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, dry mango, dry fenugreek leaves, green cardamom, mace, black cardamom, turmeric, dry ginger, and citric acid.

What is so special about it?

Stone flower is the standout: a dried lichen most home garam masalas skip entirely, giving the curry a smoky, earthy base note nothing else in the blend provides.

Why choose Shaman?

All 21 ingredients are listed separately, not grouped into a blanket term like "chicken masala" that could mean anything. Because it's cold-ground, clove, star anise, mace, and both cardamoms retain the oils that give them their aroma, instead of losing them before the pouch is sealed. The same standard applies across the range: no added colours, no added preservatives

How do you use it?

Add to a browned onion-tomato base early in cooking, letting the whole spices bloom in the oil for a minute or two before adding the chicken. For a dry rub or tandoori marinade, combine with yoghurt and a little oil, and marinate for at least 30 minutes longer if grilling or roasting rather than pan-cooking.

What foods go well with it?

Chicken curry, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, roast or grilled chicken, and chicken biryani anywhere a more pronounced chicken flavour is wanted alongside the biryani masala.

What's in it?

Chilli, black pepper, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, salt, garlic, onion, clove, stone flower, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, dry mango, dry fenugreek leaves, green cardamom, mace, black cardamom, turmeric, dry ginger, citric acid. No added colours; the reddish-brown colour is from chilli and turmeric.

How is it made?

Clove, star anise, mace, and both cardamoms are cold-ground rather than heat-processed, so they keep their flavour instead of cooking it out before the pouch is sealed the same process used across every whole-spice blend in this range.

What makes a good quality chicken masala?

Three things to check. First, it should smell rounded when opened: garlicky and warm, with a smoky base note underneath, not just chilli at first whiff. Second, the colour should be a mottled reddish-brown from real chilli and turmeric, not a flat bright red. Third, garlic and onion should be named specifically, not folded into a generic "spice blend."

This one ticks all three: a rounded, smoky aroma, natural mottled colour, and garlic and onion named on the label.

What is the best way to store it?

Refrigerate after opening; clove, star anise, and both cardamoms fade most quickly when opened frequently. Store them cool, dry, and airtight.

Would it be appropriate for everyday use?

Yes,  sodium is low, at 1.96g per 100g, since it's a cooking spice, not a finishing one.