Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Indian Cooking Basics

A Garam Masala Spice Mix is a blend of warm spices used in Indian cooking. Often you add it to dishes such as tandoori, tikkas and curries. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for homemade garam masala spice mix will turn your every day cooking to a gourmet masterpiece with just a pinch of this warm spice.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Indian Garam Masala Spice Blend

What Really is Garam Masala?

First of all, it’s pronounced as gah-ram mah-sah-lah. While there is no ‘h’ in the spelling, it’s very much in the pronunciation. In Hindi, which is the national language of India, the word garam means ‘warm or hot’ and the word masala means ‘spices’. So, basically, garam masala is a blend of warm spices.

Hence, it’s a blend of warm spices commonly used in Indian cooking.  While garam masala is an Indian spice, there are many versions and variations of it depending on the region. For example, the garam masala in north India will be a little different from that from the south of India. Also, many families have a secret recipe for their garam masala. Typically, this recipe is passed down over the years, from one generation to the next, and guarded as a family secret.

If you like spice mixes like pumpkin spice and gingerbread spice, you will probably love garam masala. Because a lot of these spices are quite similar, such as cinnamon and cloves, etc.

Garam masala adds tons of flavor to an Indian dish. Same as gingerbread spices can pep the gingerbread dough, or pumpkin spice adds depth of flavor to an apple pie.

Make your own spice mix – Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – aka Garam Masala Spice Blend

Is there a difference between curry powder and garam masala?

Yes!! A huge difference. Curry powder consists of basic ingredients that contribute to the taste of the curry, like, coriander, cumin, chilly, cayenne, etc. While garam masala consists of ingredients that add more in terms of flavor such as cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. As a result, it does add a little taste but not as much as curry powder does to your curry.

Also, you can make a delicious curry with only curry powder and no garam masala. And yet, not the other way around. So, if you had to pick just one – pick the curry powder first because you need the spices in the curry powder as the base for your curry. The garam masala will enhance those flavors and take your curry to the never level.

Therefore, if made correctly, the spices in curry powder and garam masala will not be the same. These days you get curry powders that include some of the garam masala spices in there and vice versa. The problem with this is that when you use both together sometimes these spices get doubled in the curry which ends up with your curry being over powdered with one particular spice. For example, if you have cumin in curry powder and garam masala – guess what now you have too much cumin in your curry. One way to deal with this would be to buy the same brand of curry powder and garam masala. Since they usually pick the ingredients that balance the two together.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix, Indian Garam Masala, DIY Garam Masala

Garam Masala Spice Mix has Health Benefits Too!

There are plenty of health benefits to garam masala! Remember my 5 spice ginger tea for cold and sore throat?  All these spices apart from adding flavor and warmth to our body have been used for thousands of years by our ancestors for medicinal purposes. Therefore, you can learn about it in the Indian literature. And there is a long history of the uses of the garam masala spices in Ayurvedic medicine. Due to the fact that these spices are full of antioxidant properties.

Also, a little goes a long way with them. Just add a sprinkle of garam masala in your next cookie dough to see what I mean. And while there are many different variations of the garam masala – the most common spices used are black pepper, cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, mace, and bay leaves.

While some people add other spices such as coriander, cumin, fennel, and turmeric. I personally think these do not belong in garam masala. Rather they belong in curry powder or can be put in the specific dish separately, depending on the dish. For example, fennel goes really well with lamb, and yet not necessarily with fish or chicken.

Today, I’m going to share with you my mom’s secret recipe for homemade garam masala. The best part of this recipe is you can use it not just in Indian cooking but also in pies, and cookies dough just as you would use pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice. These warm spices will warm you up in winter or add depth of flavor to your next comfort food.

Make your own spice mix – Homemade Garam Masala Spice Blend aka Garam Masala Spice Mix

Tip to buying store bought garam masala spice mix

I’m crazy about making my own spice mixes. And yet, I don’t expect everybody else to be the same. Still, I recommend that you make your own garam masala at home. But what if you don’t have all those spices? Yes, you can buy a store-bought garam masala. Which one should you choose? Here are a few things to take note. Now, this is my opinion and it’s not meant for or any particular brand.

• First of all, I would not buy a garam masala that is not brown in color! No matter how many variations of garam masala I have seen over the years in India, almost all are brown.
• Turmeric – I would not buy one that has turmeric powder in there. While it’s a wonderful spice,  it does not belong in garam masala. Rather, it should be in curry powder. 
• In addition, for me, coriander, cumin, paprika belong in curry powder, not in garam masala. I often see a brand that tries to sell their garam masala as the one and only spice you will need for your next Indian curry. Nah, garam masala is used to enhance the flavor, not as the only flavor to curry powder. Furthermore, you can make a delicious curry with just curry powder alone but not the other way around.
• The issue with this “one and only spice you will need” is that often garam masala is used in addition to curry powder, which again has coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika! So, when you add both curry powder and garam masala in your recipe you now have an overdose of some spices which don’t necessarily work well.
• So next time you buy garam masala read the label it will tell you what it has in it.

Make your own spice mix – Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix aka Indian Garam Masala Spice Blend

Here’s a look at what some of these spices look like

Brown cardamom hole 100g Brown Cardamon Whole big cardamom wild cardamom cardamom prototype spice spice business for Corby professional food [Parallel import]

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Kerala Naturals Green Cardamon Pods Whole Cardamom Indian Arabic Food Spices 16Oz/ 1 Lb

List Price: $44.00

Price: $44.00

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Whole Cloves 3.5 oz

List Price: $4.69

Price: $4.69

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Caraway Seeds 7oz

List Price: $6.99

Price: $6.99

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Star Anise Seeds or Star Anise Pods (Anis Estrella) (2 oz, 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, & 15 oz) (15 oz)

List Price: $16.25

Price: $16.25

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Mace Whole - 50g

List Price: $2.79

Price: $2.79

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Homemade Garam Masala Recipe, DIY Garam Masala, All about garam masala.

Recipe – Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix (Save/Pin for later)

Ingredients

From whole spices

• Peppercorns –  12 corns
• Brown cardamom – 2 large
• Green cardamom  – 4  pods
• Bay leaf – 4  medium
• Cloves – 20 cloves
• Cinnamon – 6-inch stick
• Caraway seeds – 2 tsp
• Star anise – 1 star
• Mace – 2-inch piece

From ground spices

• Pepper powder – 2 tsp
• Cardamom powder – 2 tsp
• Bay leaf powder 1 tsp
• Cloves powder 2 tsp
• Cinnamon powder -2 tsp
• Caraway seeds  powder – 1 tsp
• Star anise powder – 1  tsp powder
• Mace powder 1 tsp

Method

For the whole spices

• Have all your ingredients measured out
• Place a frying pan on low heat for a minute.
• Once hot – add all the whole spices in hot pan.
• Keep the heat on low and light shake the pan to toast them.
• You will start to get the spices to give out a beautiful aroma.
• Take it off the heat and let cool until barely warm.
• Place all the whole and powder spices in a spice blender (yes you need a spice blender).
• Pulse it a few times until finely ground.
• Pour them into a spice jar.
• Your curry powder is not ready for use.

For the ground spices

• Measure all ground spices.
• Combine them all in a small jar.
• Close the lid and give it a good shake.
• Voila – your homemade curry powder spice mix is ready to use.

Storage

• Always store in an airtight jar to ensure the flavor of the spices is sealed in well.
• Ideally, these spices have a long shelf life as stated by the supermarkets – but it’s best to make a note on the jar so you know when its time to make a new batch.
• Finally, read the expiry date on the powders you used – choose the one with the earliest date as a guide.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix – Best Indian Garam Masala.

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix - Indian Cooking Basics

A Garam Masala Spice Mix is a blend of warm spices used in Indian cooking. Often you add it to dishes such as tandoori, tikkas and curries. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for homemade garam masala spice mix will turn your every day cooking to a gourmet masterpiece with just a pinch of this warm spice.

Print

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Indian

Keyword curry, Inidan, spice mix

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 minute

Total Time 6 minutes

Servings 31 grams

Calories 96 kcal

Author Veena Azmanov

Ingredients - Choose (Metric or US Customary) below

From whole spices

• 12 corns Peppercorns
• 2 pods Brown cardamom
• 4 pods Green cardamom
• 4 med Bay leaf
• 20 Cloves Cloves
• 6-inch stick Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Caraway seeds
• 1 star Star anise
• 2-inch piece Mace

From ground spices

• 2 tsp Pepper powder
• 2 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Bay leaf powder
• 2 tsp Clove powder
• 2 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp Caraway seeds  powder
• 1 tsp Star anise powder
• 1 tsp Mace powder

Metric - US customary

Instructions

For the whole spices

1. Measure all of your ingredients.

2. Place a frying pan on low heat for a minute.

3. Once hot - add all the whole spices in hot pan.
4. Keep the heat on low and light shake the pan to toast them.
5. You will start to get the spices to give out a beautiful aroma.
6. Take it off the heat and let cool until barely warm.

7. Place all the whole and powder spices in a spice blender (yes you need a spice blender).

8. Pulse it a few times until finely ground.

9. Pour them into a spice jar.
10. Your curry powder is not ready for use.

For the ground spices

1. Measure all ground spices.

2. Combine them all in a small jar.

3. Close the lid and give it a good shake.

4. Voila - your homemade curry powder spice mix is ready to use.

Recipe Notes

Storage

• Always store in an airtight jar to ensure the flavor of the spices is sealed in well.
• Ideally, these spices have a long shelf life as stated by the supermarkets - but it's best to make a note on the jar so you know when its time to make a new batch.
• Finally, read the expiry date on the powders you used - choose the one with the earliest date as a guide.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Garam Masala Spice Mix - Indian Cooking Basics

Amount Per Serving (31 grams)

Calories 96 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g 3%

Saturated Fat 0g 0%

Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0g

Monounsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 7mg 0%

Potassium 0mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 20g 7%

Dietary Fiber 9.4g 38%

Sugars 0g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 0%

Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 0%

Iron 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Do you love Indian Food?

Then you must check out some of my other Indian recipes from slow-cooked curries to quick and easy as well as Indian Biryani and desserts

A Collection of Modern Indian Recipes by Veena Azmanov