Garam Masala

A few weeks ago I uploaded an article on ‘Make Cumin Powder at home’. The idea was to prepare freshly grounded spices at home which are more flavorful and aromatic. The whole spices are also economical to buy and convenient to store. I always store all my spices in zip lock bags or air tight containers away from heat and light and they last for a long time. It’s a good investment for months of flavorful food and health. 

Indian cooking is done using variety of spices but there are a few major spice mixes which can save your day as you can prepare a number of stir fries and curries with them. We have already used Panch Fhoron in the preparation of Alu Bhindi r torkari (Potatoes with Okra Stir Fry) and Alu Kumror Torkari (Potatoes with Pumpkin Stir Fry). Garam Masala is yet another very useful spice mix which creates a distinctive flavor and aroma in the dishes and is used in the preparation of different varieties of dishes like Biryani, curries etc.

The ingredients of Garam Masala are Cumin Seeds, Black and Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Bay Leafs, Mace and Nutmeg. The best part about buying whole spices is, we can use them for preparing different varieties of Indian dishes. Whole spices like Cumin and Cardamoms are often used to tamper the oil before sautéing the vegetables or meat. Cloves and Bay leafs are used not only in savory dishes but also in desserts like Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot Pudding) or Payesh (Rice Pudding). Mace and Nutmeg are the main spices creating so many fragrances in the yummy biryani. 

Now you may ask me, why should we go for all this trouble of preparing Garam Masala at home when it is always available in the Indian stores. The answer is quality, you see, freshly grounded spices have their own strong aroma and flavor, something which the pre grounded spices start loosing after some time. I usually grind a small quantity of Garam Masala so that it is consumed within a few weeks and hence its deep and complex flavor is very distinctive once you add it in any dish.

Debarshi always keeps looking for kitchen gadgets and he has bought me a very useful gadget called Nutri bullet. It has a strong milling blade which helps me to grind even small quantity of spices whenever I want. I have always seen my mom preparing Garam Masala at home so as soon as we bought the Nutri Bullet I took the recipe from her and bought all the spices. If you do not have a Nutri Bullet, you can also use a Coffee Grinder or even a Mortar and Pestle.

Use Garam Masala to prepare yummy dishes like Pakoras, Chole, Butter Chicken, Biryani etc. I usually add a little Garam Masala in all the Curries and Kababs. I also use the whole spices for more flavor.

“Live life with a little Spice”

Ingredients:

• Cumin Seeds - 2 Tablespoons 
• Black Cardamom - 1 Tablespoon 
• Green Cardamom - 1 Tablespoon 
• Black Pepper - 1 Tablespoon 
• Cloves - 1 Tablespoon 
• Cinnamon - 1 Small Stick
• Bay Leafs – 10 -15 Big Leaves 
• Mace - ¼ Teaspoon 
• Nutmeg - ¼ Teaspoon 

Directions:

• Take a big bowl.
• Mix all the spices (Cumin Seeds, Black Cardamom, Green Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Bay Leafs, Mace and Nutmeg) in the bowl. 
• Break the Bay Leafs into 2-3 pieces. 
• Transfer the spices to your Nutri Bullet/ Spice Grinder/ Coffee Mill and grind until a fine powder is formed
• Garam Masala is ready. Store it in an airtight container.
• Always use a dry spoon to measure and use the masala.
• Use in Pakoras, Chole, Biryani and Curries.

Awadhi Mutton Biryani

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