Masala
The title of this article is ambiguous. For other meanings, see Masala (disambiguation).
Masala (Hindi: मसाला masālā [mʌˈsɑːlɑː]) refers to various spice preparations used in Indian cuisine.
The term masālā generally means "ingredients" or "spice(s)" in Hindi and Urdu. It derives via Persian from the Arabic word maṣāliḥ (مصالح; plural of مصلحة maṣlaḥa). Often "masala" stands for specific ready-made spice blends such as garam masala, chat masala or tanduri masala. The term "masala" also occurs in compounds such as "masala chai" for Indian spiced tea or "masala dosa" for South Indian rice pancakes (dosa) with spicy potato filling.
In a figurative sense, "masala" in India can generally be used for things that contain a mixture of different elements. For example, in Indian film, the term "masala film" refers to a film that contains elements of several different genres such as action film, melodrama and comedy.
