Garam Masala (I)
An intensely aromatic North Indian spice blend built on earthy cumin and coriander, sharpened with black pepper and ginger, and fragranced with both green and black cardamom.
Garam masala blend
445 gGround together in step 1Method
- Place 200 g cumin seed, 75 g coriander seeds, 45 g black cardamom pod, 45 g black peppercorn, 40 g green cardamom pod and 40 g ground ginger into an electric spice mill or heavy mortar, and crush to a fine consistency.
- Pass the ground spices through a fine mesh sieve to catch any fibrous husks, then transfer the powder into a clean, completely dry, airtight jar for storage.
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Ground cuminUse 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.
Black cumin seedsUse equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.
Fennel seedUse 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.
Ground corianderUse 75% of the weight; stir in along with wet masala or tomato purée rather than frying in hot oil, as the fine powder burns instantly.
- Cumin seed
Use 50% of the weight for tempering in hot oil. Lacks the floral, sweet citrus flavour of coriander, introducing warm, pungent earthiness instead.
- Fennel seed
Use 50% of the weight in tempering; provides pleasant aromatic sweetness, though noticeably aniseedy rather than citrusy.
Ground black cardamomUse 0.5 g of ground seeds for each whole pod. Stir directly into the curry base; delivers identical smoky flavour without woody husks.
Green cardamom podUse equal pod count or weight. Crack slightly and fry whole; tastes sweet, menthol-fresh, and floral rather than dark and smoky.
Coarsely ground black pepperUse 75% of the weight. Add midway through simmering; spreads heat evenly through the dish instead of delivering isolated bursts.
Ground black pepperUse 50% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking; significantly darkens light gravies and provides an immediate, sharp bite.
Green cardamom seedUse 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.
Ground green cardamomUse 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.
White cardamom podUse 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.
Ginger pasteUse 300% to 400% of the weight (e.g. 3–4 g paste for 1 g ground). Fry in oil alongside onions; provides a juicy, pungent kick rather than a dry, baking-spice heat.
Fresh gingerPeel and grate finely; use 300% to 400% of the weight. Add to the hot oil early; delivers bright, peppery warmth rather than the mellow, woody heat of dry ginger.
Ground maceUse 50% of the weight. Imparts a warm, spicy undertone in rich gravies, but lacks ginger's fiery, sharp zest.
Similar spice mixtures
- Same: Garam Masala shares coriander, black peppercorn, green cardamom and black cardamom with this dish, and both are dry spice blends.
- Different: Garam Masala lacks this dish’s cumin and ground ginger and instead adds cassia bark and clove, and it is described as toasted and ground.
- Same: Garam Masala shares coriander seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom and black cardamom with this dish.
- Different: Garam Masala lacks this dish's cumin and ground ginger, and it adds cassia bark and cloves; it is described as whole spices toasted and ground, while this dish lists ground ginger among whole spices.
- Same: Dum ka Masala shares ground ginger as well as green and black cardamom pods with this dish.
- Different: It adds fennel seeds while omitting the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns used in this blend.
- Same: Both spice blends use cumin seeds, green cardamom pods, and black peppercorns.
- Different: Khas Garam Masala adds cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg with a vastly higher proportion of green cardamom, but completely omits coriander seeds, black cardamom, and ground ginger.