What is masala? If you have ever scanned an Indian takeaway menu in Kastrup and wondered why half the dishes seem to end in that one word, you are not alone. Masala is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — terms in Indian cooking. At its simplest, masala means a blend of spices. But the way that blend is built, toasted and cooked is what separates a flat, one-note curry from the deep, layered flavour we aim for every day at Inder'n on Sirgræsvej 4. Here is what masala actually means, and how to order it.
What Is Masala? A Simple Definition
The word masala comes from Hindi and Urdu and simply means "a mixture of spices". It is not a single spice, and it is not a fixed recipe. A masala can be dry — ground spices toasted and blended — or wet, where those spices are cooked down with onion, garlic, ginger, tomato or yoghurt into a paste or sauce. So when you see "masala" on our menu, as in Chicken Tikka Masala or Chana Masala, it is telling you the dish is built on a cooked spice base rather than a single dominant flavour. The honest answer to "what is masala" is this: it is the flavour engine of the dish, not one ingredient you can point to on a plate.
Masala Is Not the Same as Curry Powder
This is where most people get tripped up. "Curry powder" is a British-era invention — a pre-mixed, one-size-fits-all jar sold in supermarkets. In a real Indian kitchen, there is no single curry powder. Each dish gets its own masala, balanced for that specific recipe. Our tikka masala uses a different blend than our chana masala, which is different again from our rogan josh. We toast whole spices — cumin, coriander seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon — and grind them in small batches so the natural oils stay fresh. That is the difference you can actually taste when a curry is made from scratch instead of shaken out of a tin.
Garam Masala vs. a Masala Dish
One blend deserves its own mention: garam masala. "Garam" means warm, and garam masala is a finishing blend of warming spices — usually cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and cumin — added near the end of cooking to lift the aroma. It is a type of masala, but not the only one, and a dish simply called "masala" on a menu is not necessarily made with it. The dish name just tells you there is a spice-based sauce at its heart. If you want the full breakdown of that specific blend, we wrote a separate guide on what garam masala is.
How We Cook Masala From Scratch in Kastrup
In our kitchen, a masala starts long before your order comes in. We slow-cook onions until they turn deep gold, then bloom the ground spices in ghee so they release their oils before we build the sauce with tomato, cream or cashew depending on the dish. Getting that balance right for Danish palates is something we have tuned over years of feedback from regulars across Kastrup, Tårnby and Amager — enough warmth and depth to taste authentic, without blowing your head off. Every masala dish is packed hot and sealed so it still tastes freshly cooked when it reaches your door, or one of the airport hotels five minutes from us near Copenhagen Airport (CPH).
The Best Masala Dishes to Order in Kastrup
Two dishes on our menu carry the name directly. Chicken Tikka Masala (119 kr) is tandoor-grilled chicken finished in a spiced tomato-cream sauce — the gateway masala, medium heat, and one of the most ordered dishes we make. Chana Masala (from 109 kr) is chickpeas slow-cooked in an earthy, tangy tomato masala — fully vegetarian and, in our view, one of the most underrated dishes on the menu. Pair either with fresh naan and basmati rice and you have a complete meal. Still deciding? Our guide to tikka masala vs. butter chicken explains the difference, or browse the full menu to build your order.
Inder'n is open Tuesday to Sunday, 16:00–20:30 (closed Mondays). To taste the difference a proper masala makes, order online at indern.dk or call us on +45 50 29 13 71 — you'll find us at Sirgræsvej 4, 2770 Kastrup, and most orders are ready in 15–20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What is masala made of?
A masala is a blend of spices that varies by dish. Common ingredients include cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon, often cooked together with onion, garlic, ginger and tomato to form a sauce.
Is masala spicy?
Not always. Masala simply means a spice blend, so the heat depends on the dish. Our Chicken Tikka Masala is medium and mild enough for most people, while other masalas can be built hotter.
What is the difference between masala and curry?
Masala means the spice blend at the heart of a dish, while "curry" is a broad English term for a spiced, saucy dish. Every masala dish is a kind of curry, but not every curry is called a masala.
Which masala dishes can I order in Kastrup?
At Inder'n, Sirgræsvej 4, 2770 Kastrup, you can order Chicken Tikka Masala (119 kr) and Chana Masala (from 109 kr) for takeaway or delivery. We are open Tuesday to Sunday, 16:00–20:30 (closed Mondays).