The word ‘garam’ means hot and ‘masala’ means spice mix. Garam masala is a mix of a few strongly aromatic spices and it is used to add flavour to many Indian dishes. The exact amount of each individual spice in the mix can vary from family to family. Some of the spices contained are quite ‘hot’, therefore, use only a little of it at a time, especially if it is fresh and home made. For most recipes, garam masala is added at or towards the end of the cooking process. Once a dish is ready, the heat is turned off and the garam masala is sprinkled on top. The lid is then closed and it is left to infuse the dish with its lovely aroma.
Ready-made garam masala is often 'filled' with large amounts of cumin and coriander seed powder to increase the bulk. This makes the flavour less marked. It is so easy to make, hardly worth buying the ready-made! Also see Kashmiri Masala and Curry Powder.
Ingredients
| • | 1 tbs. black pepper corns (kali mirch sabut) |
| • | 1 tsp. whole cloves (laung or lawang) |
| • | 4-5 large, whole, brown cardamoms (sabut badi illaichi) |
| • | 4-5 dry bay leaves (tej-patta) |
| • | 3 inch cinnamon stick (dal-chini)or equivalent small pieces |
| • | Optional |
| • | 4-5 whole green cardamoms (hari illaichi) |
| • | 1/2 of a nutmeg (jaiphal), freshly grated. Or use 1 tsp. ground mace (javitri) |
| • | 1-2 tbs. cumin seeds (jeera) |
Instructions
| 1. | Grind all ingredients together finely, sieve to remove any husks/fibres and store in an airtight jar to keep the flavours in. |
| 2. | Alternatively, you can dry fry/roast all ingredients lightly in a wok or kadhai, all together or individually. Cool and then grind them all together. This is supposed to give more intense flavour. Personally, I don't pre-roast them. I feel that the flavour is released and then lost, well before you come to use it. My mum and others in my family do not roast them either. Remember that in most instances garam masala is sprinkled on top of a hot dish, which is enough to release flavours. |
Notes
| • | If you use garam masala frequently, you can make larger quantities. However, the aroma is lost over a period of time, so it is better to make small amounts, frequently. You can take a small amount out in a spice jar and keep the rest in an airtight container in a freezer. This will help to preserve the flavour for longer. |
| • | If you cook Indian food regularly and grind your own spices, it is worth investing in a small coffee grinder, kept separate just for grinding spices. |
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