he Hindi word masala has multiple meanings depending on the context. It can refer to a mix of spices such as Garam Masala, or to a paste made with spices, aromatics, onions or tomatoes. The sauce base or masala can be prepared in a larger quantity and kept it in the fridge for up to a week, or can be frozen for several months. Preparing the base in advance will greatly speed up the total cooking time of any recipe. If you???re planning on freezing the masala, then I recommend that you only add Turmeric Powder (it???s a preservative) and omit the other spices. All needed spices when you???re cooking a recipe. Another useful tip is that when you???re going to be making the masala and plan to store it in the fridge, add a little more oil, since that helps to preserve it longer. This recipe yields about a cup of the masala base. You can proportionately scale the quantities of the ingredients to make a larger batch; the cooking times will also be longer than the estimates indicated in this recipe.