Spices are laid out for drying in the verandah of a house in Vasai. Old houses typically had a long verandah or an inner courtyard where this activity was done. In houses that do not have a verandah, the spices are laid out by the side of the road or on rooftops.
Typically, one might purchase spices from vendors selling dried chillies at wholesale marketplaces. The masala's bright red colour and pungent flavour are derived from Kashmiri chillies used to make the base, though other varieties may also be used.