Original: 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.
Simplified: When Indian people talk about cooking, they mean a mixture of many spices, when they refer to Masala.