A simple, authentic Indian recipe for Garam Masala that can be made with ground or whole spices. Make this aromatic spice blend in under 15 minutes! Flavorful, fragrant and easy! Video.
While visiting India, I visited a spice market in Mumbai and met a spice merchant who had blended his own spices for over 50 years. He sweetly and generously walked me through his way of making Garam Masala. I wrote down all the spices and then he then told me how his wife’s version was different, each of them having their own personal blend. Of course, they each thought their own blend was better. 🙂
What is Garam Masala?
If unfamiliar, Garam Masala is an essential Indian spice mix, a fragrant combination of aromatic spices used to season many Indian dishes. It varies greatly across India, depending on the region, household and personal preference.
It would not be an exaggeration to say, that each household’s version is different and unique – and that’s what makes Garam Masala so special and nuanced.
Is Garam Masala spicy?
In general, Garam Masala is not overly spicy but does contain a little heat from cayenne. This can easily be increased or decreased according to your heat tolerance. I prefer to keep my garam masala less spicy and add then add more heat to individual dishes, as needed.
Homemade Garam Masala | 60-sec video
Garam Masala vs Curry Powder
You may be wondering what the difference is between regular yellow curry powder and Garam Masala, both being a combination of different spices.
One of the main differences between these two spice blends is that curry powder is more savory and is often based around turmeric, hence the typical golden, yellowish color.
Garam masala is richer and deeper in color, and tastes warming and slightly sweet in comparison-due to the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves.
A completely different flavor profile.
Healing Properties of Garam Masala:
Ayurveda is the ancient, traditional Hindu system of medicine that is based on the premise that balance is key to our body’s health.)
- In Ayurvedic medicine, it is thought that when there is not enough heat in our bodies, our bodies can become sluggish and may be slow to remove toxins. The word garam means to “heat the body,” and these warming spices are actually believed to elevate body temperature and boost metabolism in Ayurvedic medicine.
- Other beliefs about the healing benefits of garam masala include boosting our immunity
- promoting weight loss
- aid digestion
- lowering blood sugar
- lowering inflammation
And what I’ve noticed personally is Garam Masala’s mood-boosting qualities, especially on cold dark winter days. The warming spices not only warm the body, they warm and uplift the spirit.
Garam Masala Ingredients
The most common spices in Garam Masala are:
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Green Cardamom Pods or Black Cardamom pods
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Bay leaves
- Black Peppercorns (or black pepper)
- Fennel seeds
- Mace
- Star Anise
And the quantities, combinations and variations are endless.
These spices are typically toasted whole, then ground down into a fine powder. An incredibly fragrant process.
Can I use ground spices?
Yes. To simplify this, I’ve taken simple ground spices and mixed them, leaving out the bay leaves and substituting cayenne for the dried chilies – no grinding required. To enhance their flavor, simply dry toast in hot skillet before using.
And for you adventurous cooks – there are directions in the recipe notes if you want to make Garam Masala from whole spices – a more authentic Garam Masala recipe.
How to make Garam Masala
Step One: Dry-roast whole spices in a skillet, until fragrant. This will help them release their oils and revive their aroma.
Step Two: Grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle.
Step Three: Store in an air-tight container for a shelf-life of up to 6 months.
You’ll find a million uses for Garam Masala but here are a few recipes on the blog that use Garam Masala!
Garam Masala Recipes
- Chana Masala
- Indian Lamb Meatballs
- Indian-Spiced Lentil Soup
- Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
- Lentil Curry
- Indian Shepherd’s Pie
- Vegan Energy Balls with Masala Spice
- Masala Street Corn
Ways to use Garam Masala Spice
- Coconut Pecan Energy Balls
- Cauliflower Tikka Masala
- Indian Lamb Meatballs
- Roasted Butternut Tikka Masala
- Indian Butter Chicken ( or Cauliflower or Tofu!)
- Chicken Tikka Masala
More Popular Spice Blends
- Zaatar Spice Recipe
- Homemade Shawarma Spice
- Chinese Five Spice
- Furikake (Japanese Seasoning)
- Cajun Seasoning Recipe
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
Garam Masala Seasoning
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: ⅓ cup
- Category: Spices, Spice blend
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Indian
Description
A simple homemade Garam Masala Recipe that can be made in 10 minutes – with ground fragrant spices you already have in your pantry. Easy, healthy and authentic! See notes for toasting whole spices.
Ingredients
Instructions
Mix all ground spices together in a small bowl and store in a sealed jar.
To bump up the flavor and fragrance, lightly toast the amount called for in a recipe, just before using, in a dry skillet, over medium heat, stirring until fragrant and lively.
Notes
To make a more authentic version of Garam Masala using whole spices, toast the following in a skillet.
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds from green cardamon pods (or a mix of black and green)
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1-3 dried red chiles, more to taste ( or sub 1 teaspoon chili flakes)BOTH OPTIONAL
- 2 inch piece cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon chunk or piece of whole nutmeg ( roughly)
Nutrition
- Calories: 5
Thanks you! Good recipie. Im making family meal tomorrow at work and I want to put an Indian twist on it. I wanted to make sure we have everything in-house to use. And we do!
Great!