When Indian people talk about cooking , they mean a mixture of many spices , when they refer to Masala . Masala or massala ; ; is a term used in South Asian cuisines ( including Indian , Bangladeshi , and Pakistani cuisines ) to mostly describe a mixture of spices . A masala can either be a combination of dried ( and usually dry roasted ) spices , or a paste ( such as vindaloo masala ) made from a mixture of spices and other ingredientsâ '' often garlic , ginger , onions and chilli paste .