Biryani Masala

Place a dry, heavy skillet (cast iron or carbon steel) over medium-low heat. When the pan is warm but not smoking, add all whole spices except the Kashmiri chili powder and salt. Toast, shaking the pan constantly and never walking away, for 3 to 5 minutes. The goal is to drive off moisture and coax out volatile oils — not to char the spices. Watch the cardamom pods: they puff slightly when ready. Watch the cloves: they begin to open. The moment you can smell distinct waves of individual spice aromas — first the cardamom, then the clove, then the anise — the toasting is complete. Remove from heat and tip immediately onto a cold plate to stop cooking.

Spread the toasted spices on a wide plate in a single layer and allow to cool completely to room temperature before grinding — approximately 5 minutes. Do not rush this step by grinding warm spices: the residual heat in a spice grinder will cause the volatile oils to flash-evaporate during grinding, leaving a muted, flat masala. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods by pressing with the flat of a knife, discarding the papery husks. Crumble the cinnamon and bay leaves into smaller pieces for even grinding.

Transfer cooled spices to a spice grinder or heavy mortar. Add the Kashmiri chili powder and salt. Grind in short 5-second pulses, pausing to stir, until you achieve a moderately fine powder — not quite floury, but no visible whole pieces. A slight coarseness is desirable: the texture adds visual interest in the final dish. To grind in a mortar, start with the hardest spices (cloves, black pepper, cinnamon) and work in the smaller seeds once the hard pieces have broken down. Sift through a medium-mesh sieve and re-grind any pieces that do not pass through. Store in an airtight glass jar away from light for up to three weeks.