Homemade Garam Masala

Why Make Garam Masala at home?

Flavors of homemade masala powder have no comparison to store-bought spice blends in terms of taste, quality, or freshness. Just 1 teaspoon of freshly made garam masala will elevate the taste of your dishes to a different level, making it easy to make your favorite Indian food at home. Best of all, it takes 10 minutes and 5 basic whole spices from your pantry to make it at home.

Note: Curry Powder and Garam Masala are not the same. There is no such thing as Curry Powder in India. Curry in India simply means a dish with sauce, and since each sauce can use a variety of spices, there is no curry powder used in Indian cooking. Although Japanese curry powder is commonly sold in grocery stores, it does not make a good substitute for Garam Masala.

Ingredient Notes

1. Black Peppercorns | Kali Mirch - These berries, which grow on climbing vines, are native to southern India. The unripe green berries are harvested when they ripen and turn red, and are then dried to what we commonly see in grocery stores. Black peppercorns impart intense aroma, depth, and heat to foods.
2. Green Cardamom Pods | Elaichi -  A sweet and aromatic spice that is a critical spice for curries and pulao. I like roasting and grinding whole green pods for additional flavor, and it also saves time from having to take the seeds out.
3. Cinnamon | Dalchini -  Cassia Bark that is grown in India is the traditional cinnamon used in Indian cooking and is similar to cinnamon sticks. It adds earthy flavors to meat and curries and is essential in making spice blends. Many times I use the easier-to-find cinnamon sticks in recipes, but if you do purchase cassia bark, it can be substituted.
4. Cloves | Laung - These aromatic flower buds are harvested from the evergreen clove tree. They lend a slightly sweet yet pungent aroma to Indian cuisine.
5. Black Cumin Seeds | Shah Jeera - With anise-like flavors, black cumin seeds are milder than regular cumin seeds. Often confused with nigella seeds or caraway seeds, shah jeera has a smoky, earthy taste. Instead of shah jeera, regular cumin seeds can be substituted.

To learn about other Indian spices, read this Guide to Essential Indian Spices, which includes all the spices I like to stock up on.

How to Make Garam Masala

• Lightly roast each spice in a small pan on low-medium heat until they get hot to the touch, about a minute, stirring frequently so they do not burn. The goal is to make them a bit toasty so they are easy to grind.

• Allow the spices to completely cool down.

• Add them to a coffee or a spice grinder and grind to make a fine powder.
• Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

Best Way To Grind Whole Spices

1. Secura electric coffee and spice grinder comes with stainless steel blades and bowls and is a great buy for under $50. The stainless steel grinder bowls can be washed thoroughly to remove the spice aromas.
2. I also have an Indian-brand mixer grinder that comes with a small chutney jar. It has low blades that help to grind smaller amounts of spices to a fine powder.
3. Use a mortar and pestle. It will take a longer time to ground the spices evenly, but it is a good old way that works.
4. Some of my readers have also used a magic bullet to grind spices. I do not own one, but you may want to give it a try.