The basic mixture of spices essential to Indian cooking is called Masala. Each region has its own flavor profile and uses different spices to make their masalas. Usually, most of the masalas are made by finely grounding several dry spices together like Garam masala, Curry powder. Some masalas are made by blending fresh ingredients or spices with water or vinegar like Green Masala, Red masala.

Red Masala made by blending red chili powder, ginger and garlic with little water is extensively used in my everyday cooking. Instead of having to make this masala every day I make it in small batches that lasts me about a month or two. The flavor profile of this masala widely depends on the type of chili powder you are using. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup Chili powder (I use a combination of Kashmiri chili powder and Spicy chili powder)
• 3/4 cup Ginger, cut into garlic size chunks (about 50 grams)
• 1 medium bulb Garlic (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup Salt.
• 2 tablespoon Turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup water

How To:

• Peel and wash ginger and cut into small pieces about the size of the garlic.
• Peel and wash garlic.
• Add garlic, ginger, and salt into a blender and blend it. Add little water as needed to make a little runny paste. 
• Remove this into a big bowl and add chili powder and turmeric to it. Mix it well to form a smooth thick paste.
• Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Serving suggestion:

• Can use this masala wherever the recipe calls for red chili powder.
• My son loves eggs made in this masala. Heat the pan, add ghee to it, once warm add red masala and cook it on low heat distributing the masala. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add to the pan and make a scramble.. fast, easy and yummy!

Note:

• Coat your hand with oil before mixing chili powder into the ginger garlic paste. This will avoid the burning sensation of the skin after handling chilies. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap after handling chilies.
• Good for up to 6-months in the fridge and about 1-month at room temperature. This proportion lasts me about 2 months.
• This masala freezes well. So when preparing in bulk, you can freeze them in ice-cube trays and once frozen, storing in an airtight container in the freezer.
• The spiciness of masala will reduce over time, so I recommend making small batches.
• The chili powder you use will govern the taste of your masala. I usually mix spicy and Kashmiri chili powder, this will make a less spicy masala and will also impart a good red color to your food. 
• You can adjust the proportions of all the ingredients used to suit your flavor profile.