100 grams (about 4 oz.) coriander seeds
25 grams (about 1 oz.) each of cumin seeds and black pepper
15 grams (about ½ oz.) each of black cumin seeds (shahjeera) and dry ginger
6 grams (about ¼ oz.) each of black cardamoms and cloves
4 grams (about ¼ oz.) each of cinnamon and bay leaves

Dry roast all the ingredients (except dry ginger) very lightly.
Cool and dry grind to a powder along with the dry ginger.
Store in an air tight bottle and use as required.
TIP: Hot Spice Mix (Garam Masala) may be readily available off the shelf in Indian stores. Check for fresh stock.

A suitable quantity of this Hot Spice Mix can be used as and when required for many recipes such as
Quick Okra (Jhatpat Bhindi),
Eggplant and Potato Curry (Vagan Bateta nu Shak), and
Bottle Gourd Yakhni (Al Yakhin).

500 grams (about 20 oz.) white unsalted butter
a pinch of salt

Put the butter along with the salt into a heavy bottomed vessel and keep on a medium flame.
Reduce the heat when the melted butter starts bubbling. Keep on very low heat, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes till the residue is brown in color and it gives out a good aroma.
Let it stand for 10 minutes. Strain and bottle the ghee. Discard the residue. Refrigerate the bottled Ghee.

TIPS:

The secret to making good aromatic ghee lies in careful browning on a slow flame stirring continuously towards the end. The darker / browner the residue gets, the more aromatic the ghee will be.
Ghee may be readily available off the shelf in Indian stores. However, it is important that it be fresh stock.
A suitable amount of this Ghee can be used as and when required for many recipes such as
Creamy Black Gram Dal (Kali Dal Makhni),
Yellow Gram Rice (Mag ni Dal ni Khichidi), and
Carrot Pudding (Gajar Halwa).

Asafetida, mango powder, and black salt distinguish the chat masala
from other masalas, giving the blend a sourness that makes it a
welcome accompaniment to fresh fruit and other snacks. (‘Chat’
refers to various snacks and to the North Indian cafes that serve
them.) Fresh fruit often is sprinkled with lime juice and chat
masala. Black salt (which is actually reddish gray), available at
Indian food stores, has a distinctive flavor that’s quite different
from sea salt or table salt. The garam masala is the wild card in
this recipe; either one of the (Tamil Nadu Curry Powder or
Punjabi-Style Garam Masala) masalas may be used.

Toast and grind cumin and fennel seeds and combine with remaining
ingredients.

Black salt, or Kala Namak, is not black, but more a reddish-gray,
because of the presence of trace minerals and iron. It is not
interchangeable with sea salt or table salt because of it’s distinct
flavor- Yumana Devi likens it to hard boiled egg yolks.