Step 1: Dry Roast Whole Spices

Keep a pan on medium heat and add the jeera, cloves, and black cardamom. Dry roast for 30 seconds.

Step 2: Add Vegetables for Dry Roasting

Add the sliced onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, and chopped green chillies to the pan. Keep the heat on medium and stir roast for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and some moisture evaporates.

Step 3: Cool and Grind Mixture

Remove the dry-roasted mixture from the heat and let it cool down completely. Once cooled, grind it to a fine paste without adding any water.

Step 4: Heat Oil

In a clean pan, add the 250 ml of mustard oil. Keep the heat on medium and let the oil get hot. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and stir the oil a few times.

Step 5: Add Ground Paste to Oil

Carefully add the fine ground mixture (from Step 3) to the hot oil. Carefully stir and mix the paste with the hot oil until well combined.

Step 6: Roast the Masala Base

Once the oil is well mixed with the paste, raise the heat to medium. Stir roast the mixture continuously, or from time to time to prevent sticking, until it turns brown. This initial roasting will take about 10 minutes.

Step 7: Add Powdered Spices

After cooking for 10 minutes, add the remaining spices: salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and kasuri methi. Mix until all spices combine well with the masala base.

Step 8: Final Roasting of Bhuna Masala

Continue to cook and stir the masala until it turns a deep brown color and the oil separates out from the mixture. The water content should also dry completely. This final roasting process will take approximately 20 minutes.

Step 9: Cool and Store

Once the bhuna masala is ready (dark brown, oil separated, and dry), remove it from the heat and let it cool down completely. Transfer the cooled bhuna masala to an airtight jar and store it in the fridge. It will keep good for 15 days.

• Store the cooled bhuna masala in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 15 days.

• Add garam masala fresh when preparing a dish with this bhuna masala, as it tastes best when added fresh.

• This ready bhuna masala can be used to prepare any type of dry or gravy dish.