Garam masala
Warm, roasted whole-spice blend. Makes 1 cup
Home-made garam masala is far more fragrant than shop-bought. The whole spices are roasted until crisp, then ground, giving a warm, slightly hot blend with dry ginger and red chilli. Add a pinch to curries, dals and rice dishes towards the end of cooking.
- Total time
- 11 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 1
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put ⅞ oz coriander seeds, 1 oz cinnamon sticks, 6 dried red chillies, 2 tbsp cloves, ⅞ oz cumin seeds, 20 green cardamom pods, 1 tbsp black peppercorns and 1 ¾ oz dried ginger (sonth) in a heavy pan.
Step 2: Roast on a low heat, stirring, for 5–6 minutes, until fragrant and crisp. Don't let the spices darken.
6 minStep 3: Tip them onto a plate and let them cool completely.
15 minStep 4: Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight jar, away from light and heat, and use within 3 months for the best flavour.
Badal Patel
Good to know
- How long does garam masala take?
- About 11 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 6 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 1 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cinnamon sticks?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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