Staple Corner: How to Make Your Own Garam Masala Spice Blend

As some of my readers might not have ready access to some of the spice mixtures that will appear in these pages, I will be providing recipes so you can make your own at home. Since garam masala is so often used in so many Indian dishes, I'll provide a few variations here for my readers to try.

Update: Please see this post for another version of garam masala

Classic Garam Masala

Recipe by Lisa Turner From Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World Cuisine: Indian Published on March 20, 2007 A classic and simple version of the famous warming and fragrant Indian garam masala spice blend Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds 1 teaspoon whole cloves 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2-inch stick cinnamon 1/3 of a whole nutmeg or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 bay leaf Instructions: Grind the spices to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or blender. Store in a tightly-sealed jar in a cool and dry place for up to 4 months. Use an opaque jar or keep the spice blend away from light. Garam masala spices can also be used whole. For a milder version, decrease the amount of cardamom seeds, increase the amount of cumin seeds, and add some coriander seeds. Makes about 2 tablespoons

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Yamuna Devi's Garam Masala

Recipe by Lisa Turner From Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on March 20, 2007 A smoky and aromatic and slightly spicy garam masala blend made from dry-roasted seeds and spices Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 dried whole red chili 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads 5 cloves mace 1/4 cup whole cloves 3 3-inch sticks cinnamon 15 black cardamom pods 1/2 cup cumin seeds 2/3 cups coriander seeds 1/4 cup fennel seeds 1 1/2 tablespoons ground nutmeg Instructions: Toast the seeds and spices in a heavy pan over low heat for about 15 minutes to release the flavor, stirring occasionally. Crush the cinnamon sticks and remove the black seeds inside the cardamom pods. Discard the pods. Grind to a fine powder and store in a tightly-sealed jar in a cool and dry place for up to 4 months. Use an opaque jar or keep the spice blend away from light. Makes about 1 cup

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Delhi-Style Garam Masala

Recipe by Lisa Turner From Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on March 20, 2007 A simple dry-roasted version of garam masala with a sweet, earthy and pungent essence Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/3 cup whole cloves 5 3-inch sticks cinnamon 1/2 cup green cardamom pods 1 cup cumin seeds 3/4 cup coriander seeds Instructions: Toast the seeds and spices in a heavy pan over low heat for about 15 minutes to release the flavor, stirring occasionally. Crush the cinnamon sticks and remove the seeds inside the cardamom pods. Discard the pods. Grind to a fine powder and store in a tightly-sealed jar in a cool and dry place for up to 4 months. Use an opaque jar or keep the spice blend away from light. Makes about 1 cup

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Bengali-Style Garam Masala

Recipe by Lisa Turner From Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking Cuisine: Indian Published on March 20, 2007 A robust and extraordinarily fragrant dry-roasted version of the classic Indian garam masala spice blend Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 - 4 dried whole red chilies 3 tablespoons sesame seeds 2 tablespoons green peppercorns 2 tablespoons black peppercorns 2 tablespoons white peppercorns 1 tablespoon whole cloves 3 3-inch sticks cinnamon 20 green cardamom pods 1/4 cup cumin seeds 3/4 cup coriander seeds 3 bay leaves 1 teaspoon ground ginger Instructions: Toast the seeds and spices in a heavy pan over low heat for about 15 minutes to release the flavor, stirring occasionally. Crush the cinnamon sticks and remove the seeds inside the cardamom pods. Discard the pods. Grind to a fine powder and store in a tightly-sealed jar in a cool and dry place for up to 4 months. Use an opaque jar or keep the spice blend away from light. Makes about 1 cup