Garam Masala is a staple spice blend in every Indian home. It is the aromatic spice blend that brings warmth and depth to Indian cuisine.
Every region, every family has their own secret recipe for garam masala that is combination of spices. My mom’s quintessential garam masala uses 19 to 21 spices. I still remember her yearly ritual of making the garam masala, which involved shopping for the best whole spices, cleaning and roasting them, grinding them and then carefully storing them in beautiful glass jars. It would be shared with relatives and used for rest of the year. Lucky for me, my mom still makes the blend every year and has a jar ready for me to bring back each time we visit her in India.
Over the past several years, during her visits to the US she taught me how to create a simplified version in smaller batches. This version uses 5 ingredients that are readily available – peppercorns, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black cumin or caraway seeds. Just 1 tsp of this garam masala can add authentic flavors to many Indian dishes. Flavors of this homemade version has no comparison to any store bought spice blend.
Some of my restaurant favorites that I make at home with this garam masala include:
Here is my GO TO homemade garam masala recipe:
- 2 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon crushed Cinnamon sticks
- 0.75 tablespoon cardamom
- 1 tablespoon shahjira/black cumin seeds
- Lightly roast each spice in a small pan until they get hot, about a minute. Stir frequently. Make sure not to burn them by roasting them too long. The goal is to make them a bit toasty so they are easy to grind.
- Cool spices and then grind fine in a coffee or spice grinder. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
Author: Archana
Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
Beautiful recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it. I love curry and cardamom happens to be one of my favourite spices. ❤️??
Thank you! Nothing like freshly ground spices!
Thank you! I love this spice mix and I always wonder if I make it correctly.
There are many ways to make garam masala. I hope you like my simple version!
I do! Thank you!
Fabulous
Thank you!
We love this delicious and aromatic spice blend; your recipe is wonderful! We’ve only tried making it once, but not on this scale. Hmm, maybe we should invest in a coffee grinder too?! 🙂
Thank you! Coffee grinder or any kind of small food processor should do the job!
Wooooow so interesting recipe
Thank you Linda!
Could I grind this in a Nutribullet do you think?
Hi Shahira! I am not tried it in the nutribullet. Once they are slightly toasted and cooled may be you can try grinding them in nutribullet. Let me know if that works.
I’ve used a Magic Bullet, it works.
About how many cinnamon sticks equal 2 tablespoon crushed cinnamon sticks?
About 1-2 cinnamon sticks depending on how big they are. I usually break them with a pestle and then measure with tablespoon
This looks great. Do you have to take the seeds out of the cardamom pods, or can you grind the whole pod? Thank you!
I use the whole pods. Once roasted they grind up well.
Very useful recipe..superb! thank you
You are welcome!
Instead of roasting can I keep them on direct sunlight for few hours and then grind ?
Btw, I love all your recipes ! Rich and delicious 🙂
Thank you!
Sure if you have good sunlight!
Thanks Archana
Hello and thank you – thank you!! This is a great recipe! Would you be willing to share the ‘long version’ like your mom makes? I would absolutely love to make it too! Thank you for all of your hard work and all that you do for us!
You are most welcome!! Here is my mom’s garam masala recipe – https://ministryofcurry.com/moms-garam-masala/