Honestly speaking, there was a time when I didn’t bother making garam masala at home (you could call it a phase of laziness). It was only about 4-5 years ago that I began grinding my own blend. And got totally hooked! Besides infusing your dishes with distinct flavors, at the same time garam masala enhances the overall sensory experience of the dish many folds.
Why Make Garam Masala at home
Before we begin to take about how amazing this spice mix is, I need to talk about why you need to make your own. Here’s why-
Firstly, crafting your own DIY spice blends is an absolute delight! The flavor and aroma are unparalleled as compared to store bought. Home made spice mixes are pure & high quality as you hold the reins on the spice selection. Long shelf life - You can whip up a large batch that remains good for up to three months. Personalization is key - Add in your preferred spices and omit the ones that don’t tickle your taste buds. Cost Effective - I’ve often found that “curated” spice blends come with a price tag. Opting to create your own at home always proves to be the economical route.
What is Garam Masala
In Hindi, “Garam” means hot/ heat and “Masala” is a generic term used for spice blends /anything spicy. Going by those definitions, garam masala translates to a “hot spice blend”. Interestingly though, the heat associated with garam masala doesn’t mean spiciness as in from red chilies. Rather “hot” refers to the intensity of the warming spices that are used in creating this blend. In Ayurveda, foods are categorized based on their “taseer” or impact/effectiveness on our bodies. Warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, black pepper have “garam taseer” which means that they provide warmth to the body and hence are highly recommended for consumption during the winter months. On the other hand, spices like fennel, coriander, or cumin have a cooling effect on the body. This brings us to the question of why I am using both warm and cooling spices in my recipe. The answer lies in achieving a balance of flavors. The dominant flavor notes in garam masala come from the warm spices, while the cooling spices are used in smaller quantities to create a harmonious and balanced tasting spice blend. As true for most homemade spice blends, there is not one recipe of garam masala. The spices used and their proportions vary in family recipes. There is also influence pf locally available ingredients & regional flavor preferences. Since north india is much colder that other parts of the country, you will find extensive use of garam masala in north indian cuisine. It is used as a finishing spice to add flavor and aroma to both vegetarian and north vegetarian punjabi dishes like palak paneer, bhindi do pyaza, keema masala, dhaba chicken curry .
What is Garam Masala Made Of
Here are the spices I use in my homemade blend. Please feel free to skip any spice that you are not particularly fond of or isn’t available in your pantry.
Coriander Seeds (Sabut Dhania/dhaniya) - These are seeds of the coriander (cilantro) plant and are used in various dishes, both in ground and whole form imparting a mild & citrus flavor. It is not a common spice to use in garam masala however it balances the sharp flavors of other spices. Cumin Seeds (Jeera/Zeera) Cumin seeds are a digestive aid and they add an earthy aroma to garam masala. Fennel Seeds (Saunf/Lucknow Saunf) These pale green oval shape seeds have a sweet, licorice taste that lends an earthy taste to garam masala. Mace (Javitri) Mace is the outer protective covering of nutmeg seed. The flavor of mace is sharper as compared to nutmeg though still sweet and aromatic. A little mace goes a long way. Cinnamon (Dalchini)- Use true cinnamon(ceylon cinnamon). Bay Leaves (Tej Patta)- Indian bay leaf come from the cassia tree and have a hint of cinnamon, you could substitute with regular bay leaf (has a pine aroma). Black Peppercorn (Kali Mirch/Gol Mirch )- Black peppercon is also called the black gold of India. It was of the most prominent spice that was traded along the silk route (spice route). Kashmiri Red Chillies( Sabut Mirch/Sukhi Mirch)-De seed the red chillies before using. These add a mild kick to the garam masala. Cloves (Laung )-Cloves have a pungent warm flavor and a strong aroma. This spice has a noticeable amount of heat and adds a zing to garam masala powder. Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi/Moti Eliachi)-Black cardamon is used a lot in north indian dishes especially the meat dishes. It has a strong woody & smoky aroma which is totally different from that of green cardamom. If you don’t have it in your pantry, you could skip it. Green Cardamom (Hari Elaichi/Choti Elaichi)- Cardamom has a balmy sweet aroma and lemony flavor. It adds a sweet note to the fragrance of garam masala. We will use the full pods. Nutmeg (Jaiphal )- Nutmeg has a very delicate yet strong taste and aroma and it adds a wonderful warmth to garam masala.
How To Make Punjabi Garam Masala
In olden days or in traditional methods, the spices are dried for a few days in sun before grinding. However, we will roast the spices on stove to mimic the process. Store your homemade garam masala in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to preserve its freshness and flavor. The shelf life is up to 3 months. Always use a clean and dry spoon to scoop to avoid contamination and bacterial growth due to moisture. Tip - Having all the spices roughly of the same size makes sure that no burning happens while we roast since we are not roasting the spices individually. Tip- Roasting a lot will take away the aroma and taste wise, it may become bitter. Note - The spices are still warm and continue to roast even after you take them off the heat. Don’t leave in the pan. Let cool properly. Tip -Avoid grinding the spices for too long at once on high speed else they start releasing their oils and become sticky. Tip - Always fill your spice containers loosely. Avoid pressing down or over stuffing the containers because that may cause the spice powder to become caked (due to oils in the spices).
How To Use Garam Masala
When used in indian curries, garam masala is most commonly used as a finishing spice or added during the last stage of cooking for a warm and aromatic flavor profile. Adding it towards the end of cooking to preserve its aroma. Some of my favorite indian curries are mushroom masala, chicken do pyaza and more. Use a pinch of garam masala in soups like chicken shorba to add a layer of flavor and warmth. It is wonderful in all sorts of yogurt based marinades like for hariyali chicken tikka, lamb tikka and paneer tikka. You could use in salad dressings, while roasting vegetables or sprinkle over fresh vegetables. I love using it to add oomph to sandwich fillings like the potato filling of this aloo masala sandwich.
Tip - Avoid adding garam masala to hot oil or at the very start of cooking process. Chances are that it will make your dish bitter.
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