Garam masala is an essential spice blend in Indian cuisine. This iconic seasoning features a mix of warm, woody and floral spices, with subtle pungent and herby notes. The word “garam” means “warm” or “heating” in Hindi, but this masala – which simply means “blend” – is not hot. Rather, the name refers to its warming properties and the cozy, soothing feel that the aroma of freshly ground spice creates in the kitchen.
Overview of ingredients:
As with a lot of spice blends, there are as many variations as there are cooks and each household has their own secret recipe. However, there are common ingredients in garam masala that fall into three main groups responsible for different flavour components:
Sweet & Warm: Cinammon, Nutmeg, Cloves
Sweet & Floral: Coriander, Green Cardamom
Pungent & Heating: Cumin, Black Peppercorns
Each spice in its group shares the primary flavour with the others but has its own nuances. For instance, nutmeg is woody and musky, while cloves are distinctively spicy. Coriander has a citrusy element while green cardamom exhibits notes of minty freshness. Cumin is pungent and grounding, whereas black peppercorns provide a sharp heat.
Understanding the flavour profiles of spices allows you to alternate or adjust them without losing the overall quality of garam masala. For example, you could swap allspice berries for cloves but not for cumin or coriander. Bay leaf has a similar profile to that of green cardamom, but can never take the place of cinnamon.
There is also an array of optional ingredients that can add to garam masala’s taste and warming properties. Apart from already mentioned allspice and bay leaf, you can encounter aniseedy fennel seeds, licoricey star anise and rich and smokey black cardamom.
How to make garam masala:
While you can find ready made garam masala pretty much in every grocery store nowadays, nothing compares to the fragrance of toasted and freshly ground spice. Making your own garam masala is easy and extremely rewarding. You can control what and how much goes in and enjoy the aromatherapy as you cook. You can even buy a pack of pre-selected whole spice like this Bayara Blend, which is easier than shopping for individual spices and saves counter space.
Do you need to toast the spices beforehand?
Yes. Because garam masala is typically added at the end of the process, the spices should not be raw. Moreover, dry-roasting releases their aromatics oils which significantly enhances the flavour.
Different spices have different toasting times and can burn easily. That’s why it is best to toast them in batches and over low heat. Coriander seeds take 4-5 minutes to turn dark golden. Cumin and fennel seeds only require a couple of minutes. Whole spices can be toasted together for 3-5 minutes until the aromas develop.
Once toasting is done, simply transfer all the ingredients to a spice grinder and blend to a fine powder.
How to use garam masala?
There are so many ways you can enjoy this flavourful blend. Use it in curries or Biryani or add depth to vegetarian dishes, like this Roasted Cauliflower. You can also just sprinkle a little over soups, stews or even omelets. The options are endless!
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Homemade Garam Masala
Equipment
- 1 pan
- spice grinder
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tbsp green cardamom pods
- 1/2 tbsp cloves
- 1/3 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick ~8cm
- 1 bay leaf
Optional:
- 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 star anise
- 4 allspice berries
- 1/4 nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the pan to medium-low.
- Add coriander seeds and toast for 4-5 minutes until they've darkened and released their aroma. Remove from the pan and let cool.
- Add fennel seeds and toast for 1.5-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool.
- Toast cumin seeds for just under a minute until they have darkened. Remove from the pan and let cool.
- Add the whole spices and toast for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool.
- Transfer the cinnamon stick, star anise, nutmeg and allspice berries to a grinder and press a few time to break them. Then add the rest of the spices and grind to a fine powder.
- Store in an airtight container in a dry place.
Notes
- The above quantities yield about 25g garam masala.
- If you don’t want to pre-toast the spices, you can grind them raw but then add the seasoning early in the cooking so that the spices have time to cook.
