garam-masalaGround Mixed Spices

These recipes will give you a good selection to choose from to suit your own personal taste. Roasting the spices brings out their flavour and also makes them easier to grind. If a blender isn’t available, use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to pound the spices to a fine powder (when the spices are still warm and crisp after roasting this process is made much easier). Store garam masala in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Freezing may help preserve the essential oils.

 

No 1. Garam Masala

Ingredients

  • 25 g Coriander seeds
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 20 g cardamom pods
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 whole nutmeg, finely grated

Directions

  1. Roast the coriander seeds in a small frying pan over low heat.
  2. As it starts to smell fragrant, remove to a plate.
  3. Repeat with cumin seeds, peppercorns, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and cloves, cooking separately until all are fragrant.
  4. After roasting, peel the cardamom pods, discarding the pods.
  5. Place the cardamom seeds in a spice grinder with the other roasted spices and blend to a fine powder.
  6. Stir in the nutmeg to combine.
  7. Store in an airtight jar.

No 2. Fragrant Spice Garam Masala

Ingredients

  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 20 g (1/4 cup) cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground mace or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

  1. Roast the cinnamon sticks in a small frying pan over low heat.
  2. As it starts to smell fragrant, remove to a plate.
  3. Repeat with the cardamom pods, cloves and mace, if using, cooking separately until all are fragrant.
  4. After roasting, peel the cardamom pods, discarding the pods.
  5. Place the cardamom seeds in a spice grinder with the other roasted spices and blend to a fine powder.
  6. Stir in the nutmeg, if using.
  7. Store in an airtight jar.

No 3. Kashmiri Garam Masala

Ingredients

  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 20 g (1/4 cup) cardamom pods
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1/4 whole nutmeg, finely grated

Directions

  1. Roast the cinnamon stick in a small frying pan over low heat.
  2. As it starts to smell fragrant, remove to a plate.
  3. Repeat with cardamom pods, cloves, cumin seeds and peppercorns, cooking separately until all are fragrant.
  4. After roasting, peel the cardamom pods, discarding the pods.
  5. Place the cardamom seeds in a spice grinder with the other roasted spices and blend to a fine powder.
  6. Stir in the nutmeg.
  7. Store in an airtight jar.