Mom's Garam Masala is a sensational spice blend that infuses a world of flavor into any dish. This garam masala recipe has been passed down through generations and is still the cornerstone of our family’s food traditions. Sharing our special recipe here is my attempt to preserve this legacy.
Note: Original post published in Oct 2017 has been updated with new photos and a video.
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Writing It Down
If you’ve cooked with your family, you’re probably familiar with having recipes passed down by word of mouth or by watching and learning. That’s why it was so important for me to finally document this recipe in detail for my children, extended family…and future generations!
Heirloom Recipe
Every family has its own version of garam masala. With anywhere from 5 to 25 warming spices included, it’s easy to imagine how many variations of garam masala there can be! In many Maharashtrian families, this kind of masala is also referred to as 'Goda masala' which typically also has coconut in it. My mom uses this garam masala to make delicious Indian dishes like chicken curry, stuffed eggplant, or black-eyed peas curry, just to name a few!
A Family Project
In the summer of 2017 when my Mom visited me, I asked her to bring all of the whole spices that she uses to make her garam masala. She was thrilled to bring them, together we had a great time exploring and comprehending each spice. These were also some of the most treasured moments for the mother-daughter duo, recollecting family anecdotes from generations past.
My mom slow-roasted each individual spice in a small pan, with a little bit of oil. Roasting helps get rid of any moisture in the spices making them easier to grind. As she continued to roast, a nostalgic warm-earthy-sweet-peppery aroma filled my kitchen! It transported me back in time, not only to my childhood home but also to my grandma's kitchen where we were lucky to spend so much time cooking together.
Building Up Slowly
If you’re just starting out with building your spice collection or making spice blends at home–I’ve got you. My simple 5-ingredient Garam Masala is the perfect place to start. Use this simplified recipe for everything from traditional curries to modern dishes like masala chicken burgers, spicy mac and cheese, masala fries, and crisp air-fried okra.
List of the spices
With my mom's help, I was able to map the Marathi spice names to the English ones; with the hope of passing this down as one of the legacies for my children and my extended family.
- asafetida {hing} - used as a digestive aid, asafetida has a strong odor that mellows out into a garlic-onion flavor
- bay leaves {tamal patra} - aromatic bay leaves with impressive health benefits which include detoxifying the body
- black peppercorns {miri} - hot pungent spice, black pepper helps improve the stomach's ability to digest foods and promotes intestinal health
- black cardamom {badi velchi} - often referred to as the queen of spices, black cardamom gives a smoky flavor to curries
- cardamom {velchi} - sweet and invigorating spice, green cardamom pods adds a fresh flavor to many recipes
- cumin seeds {jeera} - with its earthy, musky flavor; cumin seeds are one of the most popular spice
- black cumin seeds {shah jeera} - slightly bitter than cumin seeds; black cumin seeds are a rich source of dietary fiber
- cinnamon {daalchini} - sweet-spicy flavored cinnamon sticks enhance the flavors in many dishes
- cloves {lavang} - with a distinct and undeniable warmth, cloves are one of the most powerful spices with intense flavors
- coriander seeds {dhana} - Citrusy flavored coriander seeds add warm and nutty flavors
- dried red chilies {lal mirchi} - with a rich earthy flavor, chilies add perfect heat and color to foods
- fennel seeds {badishep} - lightly sweet and licorice-flavored, fennel seeds are a good digestion aid
- fenugreek seeds {methi} - bitter-tasting fenugreek seeds help control diabetes and have diverse benefits for skin, hair, and health
- mace {jaipatri} - mace is the outer covering of nutmeg that adds subtle and delicate flavors
- nutmeg {jaiphal} - sweet and pungent nutmeg adds a warm note to savory dishes
- poppy seeds {khuskhus} - adds nutty flavors and khuskhus is also a good source of minerals
- star anise {badyaan} - star anise adds a sweet-licorice flavor to curries
- stone flower {dagadphool} - with a strong earthy aroma this anti-inflammatory kalpasi spice is also dominant in South Indian Chettinad cuisine
- turmeric {halkund} - with a mild woody flavor, turmeric is a superfood with natural anti-inflammatory properties
Preparing and Roasting Whole Spices
- Using a mortar and pestle break the whole turmeric, whole asafetida, and whole nutmeg into smaller pieces, one at a time. Set these three spices aside. Remove the stems of the red chilies.
- Heat a few drops of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or a skillet. Add the red chilies and dry roast them on medium-low heat for 2 to 5 minutes stirring frequently as they get aromatic. Take out the roasted chilies in a large bowl (photos 1 - 4)
- Next, add the coriander seeds to the pan and roast until they get aromatic making sure not to brown them. Take out the coriander seeds and lay on top of the roasted chilies. Repeat the roasting process with turmeric, asafetida, and nutmeg, adding a few drops of oil to the pan before toasting each spice (photos 5 - 8)
- The next spices to toast are broken cinnamon sticks, cloves, black cumin seeds, cumin seeds, and the 2 types of cardamom. As you can see, you can mix in a couple of spices for toasting like I did with cumin seeds and cardamom. For each spice make sure that they are roasted until aromatic and hot to the touch (photos 9 - 12)
- Next toast the stone flower, fennel seeds, mace (break if whole by gently pressing with the wooden spatula) and whole black pepper (photos 13 - 16)
- Toast the last 4 spices - star anise, bay leaves, fenugreek seeds, and poppy seeds (photos 17 - 20)
- Once all the spices are roasted, spread them on a large baking tray and allow them to completely cool down.
Grinding Spices
- Grind the roasted spices in a spice grinder or a coffee grinder in batches to make a fine powder. Sift the ground spice powder and return any remaining coarse spices back to the spice grinder.
- Repeat the above step for the remaining roasted spices. Depending on the spice grinder you have, you may end up with more coarse powder. Traditionally this spice blend is finely ground but you can also use the coarse spice blend in your cooking (photos 21 - 24)
Storing
Store the sifted garam masala in an airtight container or a glass jar in a dry place away from direct sunlight. You can also refrigerate or freeze the garam masala for longer freshness.
What do I use garam masala for?
Now that you have seen how to make this flavorful Indian spice blend, let's see how to use it! We love adding homemade garam masala to curries, rice dishes, and to lentils and beans like rajma, black-eyed peas, or brown lentils.
Notes: Since this recipe also includes red chilies you may not need to add extra chili powder. Remember that this garam masala is flavorful but not overly hot! So add more green chilies or red chili powder to your taste.
Substitutes and Variations
- A little bit of oil is often used to roast the spices which help them bloom and release aromas. But adding oil is optional and you may skip it altogether.
- I like to use the red dried Kashmiri chilies in this recipe which yields a vibrant red color without adding too much heat. You can also substitute with spicer dry red chilies instead.
- If you do not have whole dried turmeric, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric to the garam masala.
- In India, these roasted spices are taken to professional pounding machines known as Kandap Yantra. Getting that fine powdery texture at home takes a bit of patience. You may end up running the spices through the grinder a few times to get that fine texture of ground spices. However, it is completely ok to have your spice powder a bit coarser.
More Homemade Spice Blends
If you enjoy home cooking, you have to try making homemade spice blends that will elevate the flavors of any dish you make. You will be blown away by the taste as well as the quality if you compare them to store-bought spices. From my easy 5-ingredient garam masala to the homemade chana masala recipe, learn more about different spices and spice mixes in this cooking 101 guide.
Garam Masala and Curry Powder are both blends of ground whole spices. Curry Powder is not common in India and is mostly seen in Japanese cooking. In India, Garam Masala is often used in combination with other dry and ground spices.
Depending on the spices used to make the blend you may need more or less Garam Masala. I recommend starting with 1 teaspoon and then adding more to taste.
The whole spices used in garam masala are roasted before grinding and hence it is not required to cook them again. Adding in the end also allows you to add per taste. If you are serving the dish to young children, you can reserve some food prior to adding extra garam masala.
Depending on the spices used to make the garam masala, it can make teh food hot. Spices such as whole red chilies, black pepper corn and cloves usually will add heat to the garam masala.
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Recipe
Mom's Garam Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pieces whole dried turmeric - halkund
- 1 tablespoon asafetida - hing
- ½ nutmeg - jaiphal
- 2 to 3 tablespoons oil **
- 25 dried red chillies - mirchi stems removed
- ½ cup coriander seeds - dhane
- 5 cinnamon sticks - daalchini
- 3 tablespoon cloves - lavang
- 1½ tablespoon black cumin seeds - shah jeera
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds - jeera
- 10 black cardamom - badi velchi
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom - velchi
- 3 tablespoon kalpasi - dagadphool stone flower
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds - badishep
- 2 tablespoon Mace - jaipatri
- 3 tablespoon black pepper - mire
- 10 star anise - badyan
- 8 bay leaves - tamal patra
- 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds - methya
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds - khuskhus
Instructions
- Using a mortar and pestle break the whole turmeric, whole asafetida, and whole nutmeg into smaller pieces, one at a time. Set the three spices aside.
- Remove stems of the red chilies.
- Heat a few drops of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the red chilies and roast them on medium-low heat for 2 to 5 minutes stirring frequently as they get aromatic. Take out the roasted chilies in a large bowl.
- Next, add the coriander seeds to the pan and roast they get aromatic making sure not to brown the seeds. Take out the coriander seeds on top of the roasted chilies.
- Add 2 to 3 drops of oil at a time and continue to slow roast each spice until it releases the aromas and is hot to touch. Keep adding each roasted spice to the bowl of chilies.
- Once all the spices are roasted, spread them on a large baking tray and allow them to completely cool down.
- Grind the roasted spices in a spice grinder in batches to make a fine powder. Sift the ground spice powder and return any remaining coarse spices back to the spice grinder.
- Repeat the above step for the remaining roasted spices. Depending on the spice grinder you have, you may end up with more coarse powder. Traditionally this spice blend is finely ground but you can also use the coarse spice blend in your cooking.
- Store the sifted garam masala in an airtight glass jar away from direct sunlight. You can also refrigerate or freeze the garam masala for longer freshness.
Video
Notes
- A little bit of oil is often used to roast the spices which help them bloom and release aromas. But adding oil is optional and you may skip it altogether.
- I like to use the red dried Kashmiri chilies in this recipe that yields a vibrant red color without adding too much heat. You can also use more spicer dry red chilies instead.
- If you do not have whole dried turmeric, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric to the garam masala.
- In India, these roasted spices are taken to professional pounding machines known as Kandap Yantra. Getting that fine powdery texture at home takes a bit of patience. You may end up running the spices through the grinder a few times to get that fine texture. Although, it is completely ok to have your spice powder a bit coarse.
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blondieaka says
Thank you so much, I have been looking for a garam masala recipe made from scratch 🙂
Archana says
You are most welcome! You will enjoy the aromas and flavors from this garam masala!
Julie says
I have a couple of questions - you say to slow roast - is that in the oven or on the stovetop? What temperature in the oven or on the stove top? What kind of oil did she use?
Your post is so interesting! I really enjoy the extra information you gave about each of the spices.
Archana says
Hi Juile! Thank you for your kind words. So slow roasting is done on the stove top at medium low heat. She used corn oil but any mild cooking oil will work. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Teresa Berry says
Thank you for this! Quick question- are all the spices dried(ie.not fresh Turmeric) and what type of red chili, there are so many!
Archana says
Hi Teresa! Yes all the spices are dried. You can use either kashmiri chili or byadgi chili, both available in Indian stores. Basically look for dried red chilies with medium heat. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. I can't wait to hear how you like this!
Nandu laxman kale says
What are the basic Garam masala requirements if all above items are not there
Archana says
Here is the basic garam masala recipe - https://ministryofcurry.com/homemade-garam-masala-2/
Laura @ Feast Wisely says
Fantastic recipe and thanks for the tip on sifting and then re grinding the chunky bits - I'll be doing this from here in Archana!
Archana says
Hi Laura, Thank you for your kind words. Do let me know how you like the flavors of this garam masala!
Kiranmayee(Kiran) says
Hi Archana! Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. I made it today & the aroma was mind blowing,my house smells divine right now. Totally worth the efforts,thank you again
Archana says
Hi Kiran! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. I am impressed that you tried this recipe with many spices and I hope you will enjoy them in your curries. I wish I could quickly figure out a way to see photos on comments too.
Rod says
I have three questions:
Do you roast one spice, put it to the side, then roast the next, put it to the side, etc., or do you roast them all together?
Can you roast the spices in ghee or will that add too much of another flavor than most neutral tasting oils like vegetable or canola?
Do you use common cinnamon (cassia from Vietnam is what most cinnamon is in the US), or do you use true cinnamon from Sri Lanka (Ceylon cinnamon)?
I'm looking forward to trying this. Thank you.
Archana says
Hi Rod, So for the quantities mentioned in the recipe you can roast them all at once. For larger quantities you can roast them one at a time. Adding ghee or oil will add more flavor but the shelf life will be a bit less. Also since most Indian recipes already have oil or ghee in them the spice blend does not need it. I have tried both cassia and cinnamon for this recipe and it works great.
Let me know how you like it!
mona says
Hi, is the whole tumeric fresh? Doesn't it take some time for roasting to make sure it is completely dry?
Archana says
It is dried whole turmeric. Typically my mom would keep it in sun for a day to get rid of any moisture that might be remaining. But it’s pretty dry.
Rekha says
The powder is bitter may be because of fenugreek seeds,hos to reduce it
Archana says
Hi Rekha, I have never directly tasted the Garam Masala. Did you try using it in a curry? The recipe calls for very less fenugreek seeds so I wonder if it’s not really that?
Ivan says
You never mentioned how much of that stone flower shell we put in.
Archana says
Hi Ivan, recipes calls for 3 tablespoons for stone flower. I have updated my oversight where I forgot to mention the word stone flower next to the Indian name - dagadphool
Ivan says
Quick question. Your recipe calls for 25 chili peppers! Isn't that kind of too much? I am not only worried it will be way too hot but it will be main ingredient too. I mean half a bland would be just chillin peppers.
Archana says
I have used Kashmiri chilies in This recipe which are mild variety. You can also reduce them to half if you are using a different/spicier variety.
Ivan says
I figured that Kashmiri would cut the heat. But isn't that going to be a lot of peppers to kill all other flavors?
Archana says
The chilies are dry and when ground reduced the volume. I have tried this recipe with my mom and it does come out perfect every time. Although you always have an option to reducing the chilies. You can always add more later or as needed
Bubba says
Archana this is utterly fantastic! Smells like Bombay! Thanks so much!
Archana says
You are most welcome
Jeanne says
Hello,
Just returned from my first trip to India and I can't wait to dig into some cooking - I miss the fabulous curries already.
If I have black and green cardamom seeds rather than whole pods, could I use them instead and what would the quantity be of each?
Thanks much!
Archana says
Hi Jeanne! India trip is always so much exciting. I would suggest you use 1 teaspoon each of the seeds
Yvonne says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Will definitely give this a try. I will just need to Google images of 2 or 3 ingredients.
Amin says
Hi thank you for this amazing garam massalaa mix. I have a question how much of this would you put into a dish when cooking say chicken curry?
Archana says
I would say about a tablespoon or so for 1 pound of chicken. Again it also depends on how spicy you like and what other ingredients go with the curry
Alonna Smith says
Hi Archana,
This spice mix looks amazing. Quick question about the black cardamom, so you remove the shells first before using?
Thanks!
Alonna
Archana says
No need to remove the shell. Roast and grind
ShannonJoy says
Hi Archana
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this amazing recipe. I can almost smell the end product in my mind and I'm guessing the actual results are going to even exceed my imagination. I have many of these spices and have ordered the ones that I don't have. They should all be here by the end of the week. Sooo excited. My question is about the 2 pictures of spices, which both have caraway on them, but there's no caraway in the recipe. I love caraway, and if it's supposed to be in there I'd hate to leave it out, but then again its very distinct and if it doesn't belong in the recipe, I don't want it to taste different.
Archana says
Thank you for the kind words. So there is a mistake in the photo label. It should read black cumin seeds and not caraway. Please follow the recipe. I will try to get the photo corrected soon. Also please let me know your feedback
Steve says
This is a great recipe! One quick clarification so that people don’t use the wrong leaf: Tamal Patra is NOT bay leaf. That’s a common misconception, because they look kind of similar. Tamal Patra (more often Tej Patta in Indian markets) is a totally different plant with a different flavor from what’s most often called Bay Leaf (or Bay Laurel) in the US & Europe. Indian companies have added to the confusion: many Indian shops in the US sell both Tej Patta and Bay leaf, and often label Tej Patta “Bay Leaf!” Bay Leaf is herb-y smelling & tasting. Tej Patta smells/tastes more cinnamon-y. Visually, the difference is that the leaf ribs of Bay leaf start at the central spine, whereas Tej Patta leaf ribs all start from the stem end. But the flavors are so utterly different that you could really mess up the taste of your garam masala if you get the wrong one.
Archana says
Thank you for the detailed feedback! Also thank you for the details about Tamal Patra. I will make sure to add the details to the post so it’s clear to everyone
Bhaskar says
Amazing mix of ingredients for garam masala. I would love to prepare at home.
Chandrakala Cranse says
Hi Archana,
How do you store spices and garam masala?
Archana says
Hi Chandralekha, I store spices and garam masala in Masaon Jars. Here is a post I did recently that you may emajoy reading - https://ministryofcurry.com/essential-indian-spices/
Carolyn says
Hi there
1 May I ask what type of garam masala this name as there’s gods and kala etc
2- is and what would you use this for typically . Some babes of Marathi non veg dishes etc please that your mum would use this for ?
3/ does dagad phool have aroma? Cause mine has none! Elaichi laung all have aromas. This has nothing?
Archana says
Some parts of Maharashtra this spice blend is also referred to as Goda Masala or Kala Masala. I will link the recipes in this post that you can use this garam masala in . And Dagad pool should have woody, earthy aromas. Try rubbing on the palm of your hands to see if it releases aromas.
Keshav Dandage says
Thanks for posting this awesome garam masala recipe,
Can I add Salt in garam masala if yes , how much quantity should I add for 12 oz
Archana says
I would not recommend adding salt to garam masala. Add it to the dish you are cooking per taste.