Authentic Garam Masala Recipe

Ingredients

Basic spices

• ½ cup (35 grams) coriander seeds (daniya)
• ¼ cup (30 grams) cumin seeds (jeera)
• 2 tablespoons (17 grams) green cardamoms (elaichi)
• 2 tablespoons (12 grams) cloves (laung)
• 1 tablespoon (9 to 10 grams) black pepper corn (kali mirch)
• 8 grams (8 pieces) cinnamon (∼ 3 inch each, use Ceylon cinnamon, cut down to half to use cassia)

Spices for aroma (optional, but recommended)

• 4 medium (1 gram) dried bay leaves (tej patta)
• 3 (4 grams) star anise (chakri phool)
• 1 tablespoon (8 grams) fennel seeds (saunf)
• ½ small (2 grams) nutmeg (jaiphal)
• 3 to 4 (3 to 4 grams) black cardamoms (badi elaichi, for flavor, refer notes)
• 3 strands mace (javitri/japatri, for flavor)

Steps

Preparation

1. Wipe dirt or dust from the bay leaf and the inside of the cinnamon stick with a dry or damp cloth. This cleaning increases the garam masala’s shelf life.
2. Break open the nutmeg and inspect for infestation. Pick out and discard stones and debris from all the spices.

Roast Spices

1. Do not toast over high heat or burn the spices. Heat a pan and put in the cardamoms, bay leaf, star anise, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves and pepper.
2. Roast over low heat without burning until fragrant and crunchy, then transfer to a large tray or plate.
3. Roast the coriander seeds over low heat until a slightly deep golden or light brown colour, without burning. They are ready when fragrant and crunchy; transfer to the plate.
4. Dry-roast the fennel until aromatic; it does not need long toasting. Transfer to the same cooling tray. Add cumin and roast until fragrant and slightly deeper in colour, without burning.
5. Move to the same plate and cool completely.

How to Make Garam Masala

1. Put all the spices in a spice-grinder jar and grind to a fine powder in intervals of 40 to 60 seconds.
2. If the grinder is not powerful, sieve the powder and grind the coarse spices again. With a small grinder, work in 2 batches.
3. Store the garam masala in an airtight, dry glass jar.