Chaat masala is the tangy, savory dust behind Indian street food, the thing that makes a bowl of cut fruit or a plate of fries suddenly impossible to stop eating. It is not a cooking spice and it is not hot. It is a finishing blend: bright, sour, salty, and a little funky, meant to be sprinkled on at the end.
The funk is the point. Our blend is built on kala namak, black salt, which carries a distinct sulfurous, almost egg-like aroma. If you are new to it, that smell can surprise you. It is supposed to be there. That mineral savoriness is exactly what gives chaat masala its craveable, can't-quite-place-it depth, and it is why a pinch wakes up everything it touches.
Around the black salt we stone-grind dried mango powder (amchur) for sour brightness, cumin and coriander for earthiness, Tellicherry black peppercorn, dried pomegranate seeds, ginger, mint, caraway, asafoetida, a whisper of clove and nutmeg, and a small measure of chili. The result is layered and lively, the opposite of one-note table salt.
Dust it over sliced melon, apples, or cucumber with a squeeze of lime. Sprinkle it on fries, roasted chickpeas, or popcorn while they are still warm. Whisk it into yogurt raita or chutney. It is also the savory, egg-like note many cooks reach for in a tofu scramble.
Stone-ground fresh. Vegan. No sugar, no preservatives.
