Homemade Garam Masala

It is one of the most used spice blends in Indian cuisine. It is originated in northern India, but which spread throughout India and adopted different variations. Each region and each house have its own version of Garam Masala. The taste is very intense, so you have to be careful with the quantity.

Among the varieties of Garam Masala, there are two that I like to use for my dishes. Here I explain how to make them at home.

The first one is the most basic recipe for garam masala and which I use the most. The spices I usually use are:

Ingredients:

• 3 bay leaves
• 6/8 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons green cardamoms
• 1 tablespoon cloves
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 dry red chilli

Method:

• Break the cinnamon sticks in small pieces. Crush the bay leaves.
• Put all the spices into a grinder and grind them to a fine powder.
• Store the mixture in an airtight glass jar.

The second version is called Shahi garam masala. This garam masala is often used for rice dishes, such as biryani, and in some meat dishes. It has a very strong flavour. The spices I usually use are:

Ingredients:

• 3 bay leaves
• 6/8 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons green cardamoms
• 1 tablespoon cloves
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 small nutmeg (Jaiphal)
• 1 Mace (Javitri)
• 1 dry red chilli

Method:

• Break the nutmeg and cinnamon sticks into small pieces. Crush the bay leaves.
• Put all the spices into the grinder and grind them to a fine powder.
• Pour the mixture in an airtight glass jar. You can store it for one month.

Note:

• You can use a coffee grinder to grind the spices.
• Many people usually roast the spices before grinding, but I found it better not to roast them because they lose their aroma and slightly change their taste. But if you like the dry roast flavour, you can lightly dry roast them before grinding.