We know every Indian family holds delicious secrets in its dabbas. But what if they held even more than we knew?Masala is the Tardis that opens the door to a food multiverse. And Kashmiri-Australian cook and author Sarina Kamini is inviting you inside.

Learn what white pepper does to pavlova. How to use spices and fats to speak to nervousness or anxiety. Why domestic Ayurveda says good digestion is ensured not just by what we eat, but by how we think. Through more than 70 spices and fats, and 80-plus recipes, What We Call Masala shows readers that masala is so much more than spice. It offers lessons in both culinary mechanics and magic to any level of cook — from can't-boil-water to cordon bleu.