Every family has a culinary secret, and at Asha’s Restaurants it’s our traditional garam masala mix. Discover the special spice blend at the heart of each and every signature dish.
A bespoke combination of spices that defines the Asha’s dining experience, this one-of-a-kind masala comes straight from Asha Bhosle’s personal recipe book.
Mixed at a secret location in Mumbai, India, our fragrant masala has been used in the kitchens at her restaurants for more than 15 years, since the opening of the original Asha’s at Wafi, Dubai in 2002.
FROM THE HANDS OF A MASTER
“At Asha’s we take regular field trips to visit the farms we source from and celebrate nature’s inherent perfection to create our signature cuisine. In Mumbai I personally supervise the spice master grinding my families traditional masala recipe which is featured in all our kitchens worldwide,” says Asha Bhosle.
She works alongside the spice master and his team to ensure that the essence of her culinary philosophy is imprinted in every kitchen, and on the experience of every diner.
Aromatic cardamom, warming cinnamon, heady cloves, earthy cumin and a host of other spices are part of a fragrant repertoire that contains a host of well-known flavours – and Asha’s own secret ingredients.
“The most precious ingredient in Asha’s kitchen, the secret recipe is known only by a favoured few and is the reason why our spices work in harmony to create a perfect repertoire of signature dishes,” says Chef Navin Chauhan, head of culinary operations for Asha’s Restaurants in the GCC.
“It also contains mace, caraway seeds, ginger powder, bay leaf and rose petal powder, but we know that the recipe is unique and no where else will you be able to enjoy exactly the same flavour notes and nuances,” he adds.
THE ASHA’S TASTE TEST
Used as the basis for 15 menu dishes, can you guess the full list of ingredients in Asha’s garam masala?
Asha’s spice master personally recommends trying the barrah kebab: tender baby lamb chops marinated in yoghurt, garlic, ginger and cumin; the Lucknow favourite, rogan josh, a hearty classic of boneless lamb in a rich onion and yoghurt gravy flavoured with rose water and saffron; or the ever-popular chicken tikka masala.
“My own favourite dishes from Asha-ji are the barrah kebab and Muscat gosht,” he says.
A full seven kilogrammes of the spice mix is used in each Asha’s Restaurant every month with Chef Navin and the team also using a second custom-prepared spice mix in a range of other equally beloved dishes including panchporan lobster, duck vindaloo, kodi curry and kebab masala.
CREATE YOUR OWN CULINARY SIGNATURE
Follow Asha’s top tips for creating your own signature spice mix.
- Always select the very best quality spices to make your blend
- Always dry roast the spices before blending
- Always finely sieve the spice mix to ensure a smooth texture
Already have a favourite family masala recipe or feel like creating your own unique blend? Share your masala recipe successes with us on our Facebook page!
