Tandoori masala

While working in a restaurant in Peshawar in the 1920s, Kundan Lal experimented with the tandoor that was traditionally used for baking naan.

In Delhi, Kundan Lal opened a restaurant called Moti Mahal, which is where dishes he created using tandoori masala reached national fame with politicians such as Jawaharlal Nehru favoring the taste and global fame as the restaurant became a global chain.

In this dish, the chicken is covered with a mixture of plain yogurt and tandoori masala.

If freshly prepared, the masala can be stored in airtight jars for up to two months.

The spice blend is also readily available at larger supermarkets and specialty Asian stores, with varying tastes depending on the brand.