Baharat Spice Mix vs Naram Masala

What they share, how they differ, and when Naram Masala can be used as a practical alternative to Baharat Spice Mix.

Quick answer

Baharat Spice Mix and Naram Masala are both warm, aromatic spice blends that share several key spices, including cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper.

They are not identical.

Baharat is rooted in Middle Eastern cooking and often includes allspice, paprika and nutmeg. Naram Masala takes a different direction with fennel, star anise, bay leaf and curry leaf.

However, because the two blends share much of the same warm aromatic foundation, Naram Masala can be used as an alternative to Baharat Spice Mix in many everyday dishes, particularly rice, lentils, roasted vegetables, chicken, lamb and grilled meats.

If you want the exact flavour of a traditional baharat recipe, use baharat. If you are looking for aromatic warmth and do not have baharat to hand, Naram Masala can be a very useful alternative.

What is Baharat Spice Mix?

Baharat is a family of spice blends used throughout Middle Eastern, Levantine and Gulf cooking.

The word baharat means spices in Arabic.

There is no single recipe for Baharat Spice Mix. The ingredients and proportions can vary between countries, regions, households and spice makers.

A typical baharat blend may include:

• Black pepper
• Allspice
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Cardamom
• Nutmeg
• Paprika

Some blends use seven spices, while others contain eight, nine or more.

Regional variations may introduce ingredients such as turmeric, dried lime or dried herbs.

This means one Baharat Spice Mix can taste noticeably different from another.

What usually connects them is a warm, deeply aromatic character built around spices such as pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

What does Baharat Spice Mix taste like?

Baharat is usually warm, earthy, peppery and aromatic.

Black pepper often provides much of its pungency, while cumin and coriander create an earthy base.

Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom contribute warmth and fragrance.

Allspice is particularly important in many baharat recipes. It brings a sweet, woody and slightly peppery quality that helps give the blend its distinctive character.

Paprika, when included, can add deeper colour and a softer sweetness.

Baharat is therefore better described as warm and peppery than simply hot.

It does not normally rely on chilli for its flavour, although recipes can vary.

What is Baharat Spice Mix used for?

Baharat is popular because one blend can be used across a wide range of foods.

It works particularly well with:

• Lamb
• Beef
• Chicken
• Kofta
• Kebabs
• Rice
• Pilaf
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Soups
• Stews
• Potatoes
• Roasted vegetables

It can be stirred directly into a dish, mixed with oil as a marinade or used as a dry seasoning before roasting or grilling.

The blend is particularly useful when you want warmth and depth without making chilli the dominant flavour.

What is Naram Masala?

Naram Masala is No10 Spice's ten-spice aromatic blend.

The name comes from the idea of softness and gentleness. The blend was created around a simple principle:

Warmth without aggressive heat.

Naram Masala contains:

• Cardamom
• Cumin
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Star anise
• Bay leaf
• Curry leaf
• Fennel
• Coriander seeds
• Peppercorns

These spices are carefully prepared and combined to create a warm, rounded and aromatic blend.

Fennel and star anise provide a gentle liquorice-like sweetness.

Curry leaf and bay add savoury depth.

Cardamom, cinnamon and cloves bring fragrance and warmth, while cumin and coriander create an earthy base.

Peppercorns provide structure without overwhelming the finished dish.

The result is a blend designed to add flavour and aroma rather than simply increasing heat.

Baharat Spice Mix vs Naram Masala: what do they have in common?

This is where the comparison becomes interesting.

Baharat and Naram Masala share several important foundation spices:

The shared cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper create a similar warm aromatic foundation.

From there, the two blends move in different directions.

Baharat often gets its distinctive character from allspice, black pepper, paprika and nutmeg.

Naram Masala adds fennel, star anise, curry leaf and bay leaf.

So they should not be treated as identical blends.

But they are close enough in their underlying structure that Naram Masala can take the place of baharat in many dishes where the main purpose of the spice blend is to provide warmth, fragrance and depth.

Can you use Naram Masala instead of Baharat Spice Mix?

Yes, in many dishes you can.

The best substitutions are dishes where baharat is being used as an aromatic seasoning rather than to create one very specific traditional flavour.

Naram Masala works particularly well as a Baharat Spice Mix alternative in:

• Rice
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Roast chicken
• Lamb
• Grilled meat
• Roast potatoes
• Roasted vegetables
• Soups
• Stews

The finished flavour will not be exactly the same.

Naram Masala does not contain allspice or paprika, and its fennel and star anise give it a softer aromatic sweetness.

But because so many of the core spices overlap, it can perform a similar role in the dish.

Think of Naram Masala as a Baharat Spice Mix alternative, rather than an exact copy.

How to substitute Naram Masala for Baharat Spice Mix

A simple starting point is a 1:1 substitution.

If your recipe asks for:

1 teaspoon Baharat Spice Mix

Start with:

1 teaspoon Naram Masala

Taste the dish as it cooks and adjust if necessary.

Different baharat blends vary significantly anyway, so there is no single substitution ratio that will perfectly recreate every version.

Want a more peppery baharat-style flavour?

Add a little freshly ground black pepper.

For example:

2 tsp Naram Masala + ¼ tsp black pepper

This increases the peppery character commonly associated with baharat.

If the dish would benefit from additional colour and warmth, you can also add a small pinch of Red Chilli Powder.

The goal is not to make Naram Masala taste exactly like baharat.

The goal is to achieve the warm, aromatic depth that made the recipe call for baharat in the first place.

Using Naram Masala instead of baharat with chicken

Chicken is one of the easiest places to make the substitution.

Mix Naram Masala with:

• Oil
• Garlic
• Salt
• Lemon juice

Coat the chicken and allow the seasoning to sit before roasting or grilling.

The cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves provide the warm base you would expect from an aromatic Middle Eastern-style seasoning, while fennel and star anise introduce Naram Masala's own character.

For a more peppery finish, add freshly ground black pepper.

Using Naram Masala instead of baharat with lamb

Warm aromatic spices pair naturally with lamb.

Naram Masala can be used with:

• Lamb chops
• Roast lamb
• Minced lamb
• Grilled lamb
• Lamb skewers

Combine the blend with oil, garlic, salt and lemon before cooking.

The result will be different from a traditional baharat seasoning, particularly because allspice is absent, but Naram Masala still provides the warmth and aromatic depth that works so well with lamb.

Using Naram Masala instead of baharat in rice

Rice is perhaps one of the strongest crossover points between the two blends.

Cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves all work naturally with rice.

Naram Masala can be stirred into rice while it cooks or added when frying onions and aromatics at the beginning of the dish.

It works especially well with:

• Basmati rice
• Pilaf-style rice
• Rice with onions
• Lentil rice
• Chickpea rice
• Rice served alongside grilled meat

The fennel and star anise add another aromatic layer without making the rice excessively hot.

Using Naram Masala on roasted vegetables

Both baharat and Naram Masala work very well with roasted vegetables.

Try Naram Masala with:

• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Squash
• Aubergine
• Sweet potato

Coat your vegetables lightly with oil, add Naram Masala and salt, then roast until browned.

For an additional aromatic finish, add a small amount of Naram Masala towards the end of cooking.

Using Naram Masala with lentils and chickpeas

Lentils and chickpeas are another area where Naram Masala becomes particularly useful.

It can season a warm lentil soup or chickpea dish, then be used again in an Indian dal or chickpea curry.

That crossover is one of the advantages of keeping an aromatic blend such as Naram Masala in the kitchen.

Instead of buying a blend for one particular recipe, you have something that can move between different styles of everyday cooking.

When should you use Baharat Spice Mix instead?

There are dishes where substitution is not the best choice.

If you are following a traditional Middle Eastern recipe and want a specifically baharat-led flavour, use Baharat Spice Mix.

Allspice can be central to the character of traditional baharat.

The balance of black pepper can also be important.

If those flavours define the dish you are making, Naram Masala will give you a different result.

But if baharat is being used simply to bring warm spice, aroma and depth to chicken, lamb, rice, vegetables or lentils, Naram Masala can make a very practical alternative.

Which is more versatile: Baharat Spice Mix or Naram Masala?

Both blends are versatile.

Baharat is exceptionally useful across Middle Eastern cooking.

Naram Masala has a slightly different advantage.

Its cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper allow it to sit comfortably with many of the same everyday ingredients as baharat.

Its fennel, star anise, bay and curry leaf then allow it to move naturally into Indian cooking.

That means the same pouch can be used for:

• Chicken curry
• Dal
• Rice
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Roast potatoes
• Grilled chicken
• Lamb
• Roasted vegetables
• Vegetable curry

If you want a specific Middle Eastern flavour, reach for baharat.

If you want one aromatic spice blend that can move between different styles of everyday cooking, Naram Masala gives you another option.

Why use Naram Masala as a Baharat Spice Mix alternative?

Modern spice cupboards can quickly become filled with blends bought for a single recipe and rarely used again.

Naram Masala was created with everyday cooking in mind.

Its ten spices provide warmth, aroma and depth without relying on aggressive heat.

And because six of its core spices are also commonly found in baharat, it can work naturally in many of the same types of dishes.

Use it with lamb one evening.

Add it to roast vegetables the next.

Stir it into rice.

Use it with lentils.

Then use the same blend in a curry or dal.

That is where Naram Masala earns its place in the spice cupboard.

Baharat Spice Mix FAQs

What is Baharat Spice Mix?

Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend commonly made with black pepper, allspice, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and sometimes paprika.

Recipes differ between countries, households and producers, so there is no single universal Baharat Spice Mix recipe.

What can I use instead of Baharat Spice Mix?

Naram Masala can be used as an alternative to Baharat Spice Mix in many dishes, particularly chicken, lamb, rice, lentils, chickpeas, roasted vegetables and soups.

The flavour will not be identical, but the two blends share several important foundation spices.

Is Naram Masala the same as Baharat Spice Mix?

No.

They share cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and pepper, but the remaining ingredients differ.

Baharat commonly contains allspice, paprika and nutmeg.

Naram Masala contains fennel, star anise, bay leaf and curry leaf.

Can Naram Masala replace baharat?

Yes, in many everyday recipes.

Start with the same quantity of Naram Masala as the recipe recommends for baharat, then taste and adjust.

For a more peppery result, add a little freshly ground black pepper.

Is Baharat Spice Mix hot?

Baharat is usually warm and peppery rather than chilli-hot.

Much of its pungency typically comes from black pepper.

Recipes vary, however, and some versions may contain cayenne or hotter paprika.

Is Naram Masala hot?

Naram Masala is designed around aromatic warmth rather than aggressive heat.

Its flavour comes from spices such as cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, coriander and curry leaf rather than relying heavily on chilli.

Can I use Naram Masala with lamb?

Yes.

Naram Masala works particularly well with roast, grilled and marinated lamb because its warm aromatic spices complement the richness of the meat.

Can I use Naram Masala with chicken?

Yes.

Use it in marinades, curries, grilled chicken or roast chicken.

When replacing Baharat Spice Mix, adding a little freshly ground black pepper can move the flavour closer to the peppery character of baharat.

Can I use Naram Masala in rice?

Yes.

Cardamom, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cloves all pair naturally with rice.

Naram Masala works particularly well with basmati rice, pilaf-style rice, lentil rice and rice served with roasted or grilled meat.

How much Naram Masala should I use instead of baharat?

Start with a 1:1 substitution.

If a recipe calls for one teaspoon of Baharat Spice Mix, start with one teaspoon of Naram Masala.

Taste as the dish cooks and adjust to suit your preference.

Looking for an alternative to Baharat Spice Mix?

Baharat has its own distinctive flavour and culinary tradition.

When you want that exact character, use baharat.

But if you are looking for a warm aromatic blend for chicken, lamb, rice, lentils or roasted vegetables, Naram Masala can be a practical alternative.

It shares several of the spices that give baharat its warmth and depth, while fennel, star anise, curry leaf and bay give Naram Masala its own distinctive character.

And unlike a blend bought for one particular recipe, Naram Masala can continue into dal, curry, sabzi, rice and other everyday dishes.

Ten spices. Warmth without aggressive heat. Made for everyday cooking.

Discover Naram Masala

A carefully considered blend of cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf, curry leaf, fennel, coriander seeds and peppercorns.