Indian cooking / Spice mixtures / Garam Masala (Indian Kitchen)

Garam Masala (Indian Kitchen)

Vegetarian

A toasted, ground Indian spice blend with warm notes of cassia, clove and cardamom. Use it to flavour curries, dals and vegetable dishes.

Garam masala

12 gAdded to the dry pan (step 2)

Cassia bark (Chinese cinnamon) · Dalchini

1–1.6 g2–3 cm

spice

Green cardamom pod · Elaichiseeds only

3.3 g½ tablespoon

spice

Star anise · Chakra Phool

1.2 g1 star

spice

Mace blade · Javitri

0.2 g1 blade

spice

Clove · Laung

6 g

spice

Keep whole for now: toast, cool and grind to a fine powder.

Method

Put a pan on the hob without oil and set it over a low flame.
When the pan is warm, add the garam masala: 1.6–2.4 g cassia bark, 3.3 g green cardamom pod, seeds only, 1.2 g star anise, 0.2 g mace blade and 6 g clove.
Toast for 3–4 minutes over a low flame, shaking the pan several times.
Take the pan off the heat and leave the spices to cool.
Grind the cooled spices in a spice grinder until fine.
Store in an airtight container.

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Cassia bark

Ceylon cinnamon
True cinnamon: thinner, papery quills, milder and sweeter. Use about 1.5 times the weight, and taste.
Ground cinnamon (cassia)
Use about a third of the weight (0.5 g ground for a 2.5 cm piece), stirred in with the ground spices rather than fried whole, since the powder burns quickly.
Cassia buds
Use 60-70% of the weight; stronger and more peppery, so taste before adding more.

Green cardamom pod

Green cardamom seed
Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.
Ground green cardamom
Use 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 pod
Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Star anise

Aniseed
Use equal weight or 1 g lightly crushed aniseed per whole star anise star. Delivers the same sweet liquorice profile, though slightly less woody.
Fennel seed
Use equal weight, bruised in a mortar. Lends a gentler, sweeter liquorice note to gravies and biryanis.

Mace blade

Ground mace
Use 0.5 g ground mace for 1 g mace blade; add towards the end of frying spices as ground powder burns much quicker than whole blades.
Nutmeg
Grate finely, using 50% of the weight; sweeter, deeper, and slightly heavier in aroma than delicate mace.
Ground nutmeg
Use 40% of the weight; stir in gently with ground spices, avoiding high direct heat to prevent bitterness.

Clove

Ground cloves
Use 1 g ground for 4 g whole (or 1 small pinch per 2 to 3 whole cloves). Add with spice powders; disperses intense warmth quickly, so use with restraint.
Allspice berries
Use 100% of the weight whole in tempering. Imparts a warm, clove-like aromatic profile combined with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Black cardamom pod
Use 1 pod for 3 to 4 cloves in whole tempering. Shares a camphor-like warmth and medicinal depth, though it introduces a distinct smoky undertone.

Similar spice mixtures

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Salli Kheema Pav tastes savoury, tangy and gently sweet with chilli and coconut, while this dish gives warm aromatic spice notes without sourness or sweetness.

Same: Salli Kheema Pav shares cassia, green cardamom, mace, star anise and clove with this dish.
Different: Salli Kheema Pav is a minced lamb curry with coconut milk, malt vinegar, dark brown sugar, potato straws and pav, while this dish is only a toasted, ground spice blend.

Garam Masala (Tandoori Home Cooking)

Garam Masala tastes more peppery and earthy from coriander and black cardamom, while this dish tastes more clove-heavy with star anise and mace notes.

Same: Garam Masala shares with this dish a toasted, ground blend of cassia, green cardamom and clove used for curries, dals and vegetable dishes.
Different: Garam Masala adds coriander seeds, black peppercorn and black cardamom and lacks this dish's star anise and mace; neither blend uses a souring agent or fat.

Lauki Musallam

Whole Stuffed Bottle Gourd (Calabash)

Lauki Musallam tastes rich, creamy and tangy from yogurt and khoya with a whole-spice aroma, while this dish tastes dry, warm and spicy from toasted cassia, clove and cardamom.

Same: Lauki Musallam shares clove, green cardamom and mace with this dish.
Different: Lauki Musallam is a braised stuffed bottle gourd with khoya, milk powder, cashew, chironji, poppy seed, yogurt and onion, while this dish is only a toasted ground blend of cassia, cardamom, star anise, mace and clove.

Lucknowi Lamb Nihari

Lamb Stew with Ginger, Nutmeg and Green Chillies

Lucknowi Lamb Nihari tastes savory, slow-cooked and aromatic with fresh ginger, nutmeg, green chilli heat and lime sourness, while this dish tastes like a toasted warm-spice blend without meat, liquid, fat or sourness.

Same: Lucknowi Lamb Nihari shares with this dish the warm whole spices clove, green cardamom, star anise, mace and cinnamon-like cassia.
Different: Lucknowi Lamb Nihari is a ghee-rich, flour-thickened bone-in lamb stew with onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, nutmeg, rose petals and lime, while this dish is only a dry toasted and ground spice blend.