Recipe Homemade Garam Masala

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Homemade Garam Masala

Ingredients
3 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 cinnamon sticks
8 green cardamon pods
4 black cardamon pods
12 cloves
5 bay leaves
4 star anise
4 blades of mace
½ of a nutmeg

Method
Dry roast all the spices in a pan on a very low heat until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Do not burn them!
Cool them, then grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder and if needed put through a sieve.
Store in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard.

Garam Masala being toasted

• SatNavSaysStraightOn
• 7 Mar 2022

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I will point out that there are loads of regional variations for garam masala but I do recommend taking down black cardamon if you have not come across it. It is much nicer than green cardamon and has a rich and slightly smokey smell and flavour to it that ads far more depth to dishes then green cardamon does.

Also cinnamon sticks... Length of, this has previously been a topic of discussion here and the conclusion was roughly 10 cm or 4 inches in length. One of my local health food shops sells them at twice that length hence the debate!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Another variation

Ingredients
½ cup coriander seeds
¼ cup cumin seeds
9 - 10 cinnamon sticks roughly 3 inches long
2 tbsp cloves
10 Indian bay leaves (cinnamon leaves)
10 - 12 black cardamon pods
2 tbsp green small cardamon pods
1 - 2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 inch of whole dry ginger or 1- 2 tbsp ginger powder
1 nutmeg crushed

Instructions
Grind all the ingredients together in a coffee grinder and store in an airtight jar.

If wanted you can lightly roast the ingredients first before grinding for a slightly more aromatic and nutty flavour.

 

[Delftse Post]

I was thinking of trying to make some. Some recipes call for cardamom seeds (Madhur Jaffrey for example) and some use the entire pod. Not sure I can be bothered to extract seeds.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I usually cook with the entire pod and extract it afterwards. Most of my recipes which call for cardamon (black or green) usually state pods, even those that then want me to roast and then grind the pods. It hasn't killed me yet!

 

[Delftse Post]

I usually cook with the entire pod and extract it afterwards. Most of my recipes which call for cardamon (black or green) usually state pods, even those that then want me to roast and then grind the pods. It hasn't killed me yet!

I use a lot of Rich Stein recipes and he often specifies seeds, although I never bother and use the pods. I suppose though that the woodier pod probably adds more bitter flavor compared to using just the seeds.

 

[kamarsun1]

Homemade Garam Masala

Ingredients
3 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 cinnamon sticks
8 green cardamon pods
4 black cardamon pods
12 cloves
5 bay leaves
4 star anise
4 blades of mace
½ of a nutmeg

Method
Dry roast all the spices in a pan on a very low heat until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Do not burn them!
Cool them, then grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder and if needed put through a sieve.
Store in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard.

That sounds good if I only had all those ingredients separate, to me it would be easier to just buy the Garam Masala from the indian store, but I will copy this down a start buying one spice at a time, thanks

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

That sounds good if I only had all those ingredients separate, to me it would be easier to just buy the Garam Masala from the indian store, but I will copy this down a start buying one spice at a time, thanks

I have every single one of those in my rather extensive spice cupboard! The idea of not making my own is curious because there are so many different recipes for garam masala and it can completely change the recipe if you use one that is not as suitable as another. That is why shop bought garam masala can vary so much between brands! there is no set recipe for it...

 

[rascal]

Homemade Garam Masala

Ingredients
3 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
4 cinnamon sticks
8 green cardamon pods
4 black cardamon pods
12 cloves
5 bay leaves
4 star anise
4 blades of mace
½ of a nutmeg

Method
Dry roast all the spices in a pan on a very low heat until they are fragrant and slightly darker. Do not burn them!
Cool them, then grind in a coffee grinder to a fine powder and if needed put through a sieve.
Store in an airtight jar in a dark cupboard.

Garam Masala being toasted

• SatNavSaysStraightOn
• 7 Mar 2022

That is pretty much mine as well. Both cardamoms as well.

Russ

 

[rascal]

I was thinking of trying to make some. Some recipes call for cardamom seeds (Madhur Jaffrey for example) and some use the entire pod. Not sure I can be bothered to extract seeds.

I use whole pods.

Russ

 

[rascal]

This is the colouring I add to garam masala to give the red colour.

Russ

 

[rascal]

I have every single one of those in my rather extensive spice cupboard! The idea of not making my own is curious because there are so many different recipes for garam masala and it can completely change the recipe if you use one that is not as suitable as another. That is why shop bought garam masala can vary so much between brands! there is no set recipe for it...

I would never buy store bought g.m.

Russ

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I would never buy store bought g.m.

Russ

Me neither. And in reality the above recipe takes longer to find all the ingredients from the spice shelf and measure them out, than it does to roast them then grind (in the spice grinder). It isn't difficult at all.

 

[rascal]

Me neither. And in reality the above recipe takes longer to find all the ingredients from the spice shelf and measure them out, than it does to roast them then grind (in the spice grinder). It isn't difficult at all.

Like you I have a lot of spices available gathered over the years. Daughter popped in the other day and says, dont suppose you have any sumac? Yes I do, at the back of drawer 1.
Result.

Russ

 

[rascal]

Me neither. And in reality the above recipe takes longer to find all the ingredients from the spice shelf and measure them out, than it does to roast them then grind (in the spice grinder). It isn't difficult at all.

I'm on my 3rd spice/ coffee grinder lol.

Russ