Garam masala is a traditional spice blend for India and other South Asian countries. “Hot mix”, as “garam masala” is translated, for Indian cuisine is what as ” Herbes de Provence” is for French cuisine. It is added to soups and meat, scrambled eggs and vegetable dishes. The mix varies from region to region and from house to house. Usually it consists of cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, pepper and cloves, but other ingredients are added to the garam masala, for example, chili, star anise, garlic, or even rosebuds.
Garam masala is a traditional spice blend for India and other South Asian countries. “Hot mix”, as “garam masala” is translated, for Indian cuisine is what as ” Herbes de Provence” is for French cuisine. It is added to soups and meat, scrambled eggs and vegetable dishes. The mix varies from region to region and from house to house. Usually it consists of cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, pepper and cloves, but other ingredients are added to the garam masala, for example, chili, star anise, garlic, or even rosebuds.- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
- Serves: 1
- Difficulty: easy
- Course: spices
- Cookware: mortar
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cloves
- 1½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Cooking method
Step 1
Put the frying pan on high heat and heat the olive oil. Then gradually add the spices one by one, so to give the denser spices a little more time to cook. Add spices in the following order: cloves, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander. Fry the spices for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until an intense aroma appears.
Step 2
Let the spices cool. Add to a mortar and pestle and grind together.
My tips and tricks:
Always buy only the best spices and buy them separately, not in ready-made mixtures. You never know exactly what’s in the mix. I advise you to buy and mix the spices in advance and store them dry. And just before using them, heat the right amount in oil to reveal their aroma.
- 2 tsp cloves
- 1½ tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Put the frying pan on high heat and heat the olive oil. Then gradually add the spices one by one, so to give the denser spices a little more time to cook. Add spices in the following order: cloves, black pepper, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander. Fry the spices for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until an intense aroma appears.
- Let the spices cool. Add to a mortar and pestle and grind together.