Tandoori Masala

Tandoori Masala from Altes Gewürzamt, red seasoning

Tandoori Masala from Altes Gewürzamt is a medium-spiced Indian spice blend inspired by the cuisine of Northern India and Pakistan. It is the ideal marinade for poultry, lamb, and scampi, whether prepared in the oven or on the grill.

Tandoori Masala is the medium-spiced blend by Ingo Holland from the Altes Gewürzamt in Klingenberg, characterized by annatto seeds, tomato flakes, ginger, and garlic. Annatto and red sandalwood give it the typical red color that makes tandoori dishes unmistakable.

Red, savory, with a pleasant heat

The Tandoori Masala stands out immediately due to its warm, reddish color, which comes from annatto seeds and red sandalwood. Tomato flakes provide fruity depth, while ginger and garlic provide savoriness.

A short roast keeps it fresh and light, while the heat remains pleasant and balanced for European palates—never burning. 23 ingredients, from amchoor to calamus root, make it complex: savory, fruity, and well-balanced. A masala that seasons meat while simultaneously giving it a beautiful color.

The two coloring agents are barely detectable in terms of taste themselves, yet they occupy the first and eighth spots in the list. Annatto seeds come from a South American shrub, their red coating long used to color cheese and rice, while red sandalwood is finely ground wood from Southern India. Together, they produce that burnt brick-red color for which other products would require artificial dyes.

Those who read the list to the end will find the silent workers there. Cardamom, clove, mace, and cinnamon provide sweet warmth; fenugreek and calamus root add a bitter edge; long pepper and black pepper provide that length that lingers for a while after the last bite from the skewer. None of these ingredients push themselves to the fore, which is exactly why the blend remains so versatile.

As a yogurt marinade

Tandoori Masala was born to marinate: poultry, pork, lamb, and scampi take on its flavor and color wonderfully, whether in the oven or on the grill.

Yogurt is the best partner for this, and there are solid reasons for it. Its fat dissolves the aromatic compounds that would not stir in pure water, its mild acidity works on the surface of the meat, and during cooking, it forms those dark spots that are an essential part of tandoori chicken.

It works just as well without meat, as cauliflower florets, paneer, or thick slices of sweet potato embrace the red marinade just as readily and develop the same dark edges in the oven. Do not wipe off the marinade before cooking, as it is precisely this layer that browns and keeps the inside juicy.

Chicken legs marinated overnight in yogurt with Tandoori Masala and then grilled over high heat turn out the most flavorful, because the longer they soak, the deeper the spice penetrates. Four hours is the minimum, twelve is better. The amchoor (dried unripe mango) contributes a subtle fruity acidity. For open flames, it is worth looking at the Altes Gewürzamt BBQ spices or the entire masala selection.

Short roasting, completely handmade

To ensure the Tandoori Masala remains fresh and vibrant in color, Altes Gewürzamt roasts the spices only briefly and blends them by hand. The longer annatto and tomato are exposed to heat, the duller the red becomes, which is why the pan stays significantly cooler here than it does for the dark-roasted Garam Masala.

The namesake is a clay oven (tandoor) in which skewers hang vertically over embers and are exposed to temperatures well over 300 degrees. At home, the grill or oven with top heat takes on this role.

Salt is listed fourth in the declaration, so you only need to season sparingly if at all. This Tandoori Masala is part of the Altes Gewürzamt range and sits there alongside the other masalas of Indian cuisine. Get marinating—the grill is waiting!