Durban Masala is a blend of spices that make up the charismatic aroma and fiery red colour of Durban Curry. This spice blend is a paradox of sweet spices like cinnamon, cardamon and fennel, combined with bitter cumin and fiery chilli and cayenne pepper and rounded off with coriander. Family recipes for this masala may vary. We grew up with mostly shop bought masala, particularly Pako and Osman's Spices being Amma's two favored range of Masala. On the rare occasion that she was out of masala, she ground dried chillies with a mortar and pestle to make homemade chilli powder and combined it with jeera and dhania powder or birth masala. It was my granny who loved drying hoards of chillies or dried onions on the lawn to make her own blend of spices, often knelt over the grinding stone. Having lived abroad for nearly two decades now, I have often adapted recipes to suit ingredients. I have even blasphemously resorted to making chicken liver curry with fresh chillies and yellow curry powder. It's about time I made my own masala! This recipe has come about through trial and error over a few months now and I am finally satisfied with the results, I hope you will enjoy this too!