masala

Meanings

1. Any of many blends of spices used in Indian cuisine, most often containing cardamom, coriander, mace together with pepper, nutmeg, fennel seeds, jeera etc.
2. Any dish prepared with such spices.
3. Any powder of ground ingredients, not necessarily used in cuisine.

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani مصالحہ (maṣālḥa, maṣāliḥa) / मसाला (masālā, “spice(s)”), from Classical Persian مصالح (masālih, “affairs, materials, spices”), plural of مصلحت (maslahat, “affair, policy, best thing to do”), both from Arabic, derived from صَلَحَ (ṣalaḥa, “be fit, competent, usable”).