North Indian Style Spice Mix & Substitute Guide
North Indian cuisine is known for its rich, warm and deeply aromatic flavours. Behind these dishes is a perfectly balanced North Indian style spice mix — a blend that gives curries, dals and marinades their signature taste. Whether you buy a ready-made Indian spice mix or want to create a simple North Indian style spice mix substitute, this guide covers everything you need.
What Is a North Indian Spice Mix?
A North Indian spice mix is a combination of ground and whole spices commonly used in North Indian cooking. These blends create the flavour base for dishes like butter chicken, dal makhani, paneer tikka masala and many popular curries.
Unlike basic curry powders, this Indian spices mixture focuses on warm, aromatic spices rather than just heat.
Common Spices in North Indian Style Spice Mixes
Most blends include some or all of these spices:
- Coriander – fresh and citrusy
- Cumin – earthy and roasted aroma
- Cinnamon – sweet warmth
- Cloves – strong, pungent spice
- Black cardamom – smoky depth
- Green cardamom – sweet and floral
- Black pepper – sharp heat
- Bay leaf – mild herbal note
These spices are often dry-roasted and ground into an Indian seasoning mix suitable for curries, gravies and tandoori-style dishes.
Simple North Indian Spice Mix Recipe
Here is a basic recipe you can make at home:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp broken cinnamon stick
- 2–3 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 small bay leaf
Method
- Dry-roast all the whole spices in a pan over low heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Remove from the pan and let the spices cool completely.
- Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- Store the spice mix in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place.
This homemade blend works perfectly in curries, biryanis, lentils and creamy gravies.
Quick North Indian Style Spice Mix Substitute
If you don’t have whole spices, you can make a quick North Indian style spice mix substitute using ground spices.
Quick Substitute
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp clove powder
This substitute works well for:
- Curries
- Paneer dishes
- Chicken marinades
- Vegetable sabzis
- Dal and lentil dishes
How to Use North Indian Spice Mix in Cooking
- Add to curries: Use 1–2 teaspoons while frying onions, ginger and garlic.
- Sprinkle at the end: Add a small pinch at the end of cooking for extra aroma.
- Use in marinades: Mix with yogurt, lemon juice and oil for meat or paneer.
- Season vegetables: Toss with oil and this mix before roasting.
It also pairs beautifully with blends used in chicken tikka spices and other North Indian dishes.
North Indian Spice Mix vs Garam Masala
Garam masala is usually added at the end of cooking as a finishing spice. A North Indian spice mix is often added earlier in the cooking process to build flavour from the base of the dish. You can use both together: the mix for depth, garam masala for aroma.
Storage Tips
- Keep the spice mix in an airtight container.
- Store away from direct sunlight and heat.
- Use a dry spoon every time you scoop from the jar.
- Make small batches and use within 3–6 months for best flavour.
