Meat masala is a spice mix used in Keralan cuisine, typically as a marinade for various types of meat, especially mutton. Meat masala can either be rubbed onto pieces of meat as a dry powder mix, or combined with oil to make a paste that more easily coats the meat. Either a blend of dried spices or a spice paste, masala often includes garlic, ginger, chile paste, tomato and onion, along with coriander, cinnamon, cumin, cloves and cardamom. Familiar here thanks to meet masala, its spiced, flavor-forward profile makes it a go-to spice blend for many Indian-accented dishes.