Learn how to make garam masala spice mix with this easy recipe. Whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and more add incredible flavor and aroma to Indian dishes. This homemade garam masala powder keeps well and can be used to make Indian curries, stews, and vegetables burst with fragrance and flavor.
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ℹ️ Introduction
Garam masala is the perfect mix of fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and nutmeg. It adds a unique flavor to Indian dishes that can’t be compared.
In Hindi, garam means warm or hot and masala means spice mix. So garam masala translates to “warm spice blend”. However, it’s not hot and spicy; rather, it’s warming and flavorful.
Unlike curry powder, which is a Western invention, garam masala is a spice that’s used extensively in authentic Indian recipes. Every region of India, and in fact every household, may have a different garam masala spice mix recipe based on individual taste.
Different foods may have different proportions and/or ingredients. Chicken recipes may have garam masala with more mace, while nutmeg may be more prominent in red meat or chana masala recipes.
While you can always use the store-bought version, homemade garam masala that’s ground from toasted whole spices is unparalleled. Once you try this easy garam masala recipe, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
❤️ WHY YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE GARAM MASALA RECIPE
- Making it at home maximizes flavor and aroma. Purchased spice mix may have been sitting on the shelf for a while and can lose its freshness.
- You can customize the spice proportions to your taste – if you like the flavor of cardamom, add some extra! Or if you don’t like cloves, reduce the quantity. If you don’t want fennel, omit it.
- Authentic garam masala doesn’t have fillers. Many purchased spice blends add cheaper fillers and have an overpowering taste of cumin or coriander.
- Avoid preservatives or additives by making it at home.
- It’s more budget-friendly to buy whole spices and make your own.
💡 Tips for Best Garam Masala
- Use whole spices such as cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, cloves, nutmeg, mace, bay leaves, and black peppercorns to get the freshest and most intense flavor. Try to avoid spice powder.
- Dry roast or toast the spices in a frying pan first. This brings out the flavor and aroma of the spice.
- Let the toasted spices cool completely before grinding.
- Grind to a fine powder in batches to allow the spices to grind evenly. Overstuffing your spice grinder can cause it to be unevenly ground.
- Feel free to adjust the quantities of spice based on your tastes. If you like the flavor of one spice, e.g., cinnamon, add a little extra.
- Keep this Indian spice mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry location to retain freshness.
- Don’t make too much – For fresh flavor and aroma, make enough to last up to three months.
- It’s not always practical, but if you grind the spices as you need them, you’ll get the freshest flavor.
❓ FAQS
You can grind the whole cardamom pod, including the outer husk.
I highly recommend you toast the whole spices to bring out maximum flavor and aroma.
It’s added towards the end of cooking to finish the dish and bring out maxiumum flavor. I don’t add large quantities, just about half to one teaspoon.
My recipe comes from my mother, and this version does not have cumin and coriander, which Punjabi garam masala has. This is because we like to add cumin and coriander to taste in each dish, and it allows us to omit one or the other flavor as needed! Also, because we come from Kerala in South India, we like the taste of fennel in our garam masala. Actually there’s usually a lot more fennel in South Indian Garam masala, so you can increase it up to 2 tablespoons. You can also omit it, if you wish.
If you don’t want to grind your own garam masala, you can buy it pre-made from the store. You can also make a simple version at home by mixing equal amounts of these ground spices: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. If you like, you can add up to twice as much fennel powder as any of the other spices.
Whole Spice Garam Masala Ingredients
- Black peppercorns are easily available at regular grocery stores.
- Cinnamon sticks can be found in grocery stores, but a Latin grocery or Indian grocery store will probably be more economical.
- Star anise is found in Indian grocery stores. Omit if you can’t find it.
- I use green cardamom pods, and not black cardamom. And I grind them whole, without removing the husk.
- Cloves are easily available at regular grocery stores.
- Fennel seeds are optional. I like to use them because that’s a flavor that’s common to my South Indian roots.
- Mace is the outer flowery covering of the nutmeg seed. It can be found at Indian grocery stores.
- Nutmeg is usually found in powdered form in grocery stores. To get the whole version, visit an Indian store. I use about 3 grams (.1 ounce) of nutmeg. Feel free to use less.
- Bay leaves come in many sizes. For this recipe, I use two small leaves or one large.
Quantities and details are provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
📝 How to Make Garam Masala Spice
- Toast the whole spices
- Let them cool down
- Grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place
Homemade Garam Masala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 2 pieces cinnamon stick 2 inches each
- 3 pieces star anise
- 1½ tablespoon cardamom pods
- 2 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 nutmeg (about 3 grams or .1 ounce)
- 1 tablespoon whole mace
- 2 bay leaves small
Instructions
- Heat a small frying pan over medium low heat.
- Toast the whole spices (pepper, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cloves, fennel, nutmeg, mace, and bay leaves) while stirring frequently. The spices will start to become fragrant after a few minutes. They will also change color to become a toasty color. Don't let them burn!
- Transfer the spices to a plate and let them cool down.
- Once the spices are completely cooled, grind them to a fine powder in a spice grinder or coffee grinder.
- Transfer the garam masala spice mix to a clean dry glass jar and store in a cool, dry location.
Notes
- * Use a coffee grinder that’s reserved for grinding spices.
- This recipe is for a South Indian-style garam masala. You can omit the fennel seeds if you wish.
- If you make a larger quantity, keep enough for a month’s use and freeze the rest in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Recipes Using Garam Masala
Ana Luisa Galván says
Hello! I’d like to try this recipe, but, am I to understand that I need a whole nutmeg? It seems quite a lot, thanks for any help.
Neena Panicker says
Hi Ana, thank you for your question. I should clarify that I use a small nutmeg (about 3 grams) which works out to about 1.5 tsp ground nutmeg. It is a definitely a personal preference. Many recipes use less nutmeg and some omit nutmeg altogether. Try using 1/2 a nutmeg and see how you like it and you can always modify it next time. I will update the recipe with these details.
Ana Luisa says
Thank you! I will try to see if I can weigh the whole nutmeg I have.