Homemade Garam Masala

A white bowl with garam masala in it with a golden spoon above it with some masala on a black background.

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5 from 1 vote

A quintessential spice mix of Indian cuisine; Garam Masala is amazing when made at home.

Easy to follow recipe, this masala goes a long way to flavor your curries!

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Spice Mix

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 12kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

3 sticks Cinnamon Sticks (3 inches long)
1 teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Cardamom Seeds
2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
3-4 Bay leaves
2 Star Anise
½ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
1 teaspoon Dried Ginger Powder

Instructions

In a pan add all the ingredients except nutmeg and ginger powder.
Place on medium heat and dry roast till fragrant. Ensure it does not burn.
Cool the mixture for 10-15 minutes and then add ginger powder and nutmeg powder. Mix well.
Transfer everything to the Nutrimill Spice Grinder.
Grind for 10 seconds and check how coarse it is. Repeat till the desired coarseness is achieved (around 30 seconds).
Transfer to an airtight container and use in your favorite curries. The masala is great for 6 months; when stored in a dry and cool place.

Video

Notes

Place all the spices in the sun for a few hours. This helps crisp the spices and shortens the time needed to roast them.

Dry roasting is an optional step though I totally recommend it. If we use raw spices to make it, add the garam masala while cooking the curries. The masalas will cook with the rest of the ingredients.

Allow the spices to cool completely before grinding. Moisture in the spices will yield a soggy mix that will spoil very quickly.

Do a taste test and add more ingredients if the flavor of a single spice seems lacking. Adjust the quantities based on what your family likes.

Add the garam masala to the recipe after most of the ingredients are done cooking. Overcooking the masalas tend to turn them slightly bitter in taste.
The nutritional information is for one serving of garam masala.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition