A Masala is a spice blend.

The two masala curries that you typically find on North Indian menus in the US are Chana Masala and Chicken Tikka Masala (the latter is a classic fake ethnic dish, supposedly invented in Glasgow).

Both curries have a pretty similar flavor profile: onion, garlic, chili and ginger; tomato; garam masala, cumin, and turmeric; amchoor powder or lemon juice.

For the tikka masala, the curry is then pureed and mixed with cream before simmering with browned chicken chunks.