Garam Masala Recipes

Here's how to make your own garam masala recipe, which you can adapt once you've gotten the hang of it. 1. Firstly, before you start blending them, you will need to ensure you have all the necessary garam masala spices on hand. Bear in mind that garam masala spice names may differ in some Asian supermarkets. For example, cumin is known as jeera in Hindi, while in Punjabi, you may find it named jira instead. Don't be put off by this because the common names are usually to be found. When sourcing your ingredients, don't buy pre-ground versions if you can help it. The whole point of your own garama masala recipe is to blend it while grinding it into your own powder. 2. Remember that garam masala recipes vary in South Asia, so nothing is genuinely authentic or correct. Try to gather as many of these ingredients as possible: coriander seed, cumin seed, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cardamom seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaves. 3. Place two teaspoons of coriander seeds and peppercorns (black ones if you have them) into a dry frying pan on low heat. Add one teaspoon of cumin seed, cardamom seeds (not their husk, just the internal black seeds) and fennel seeds. Add half a teaspoon of whole cloves, too. If you want to make a larger batch, you can double or even triple the amount of all these ingredients. Just keep the proportions to ensure good flavour combinations. 4. While the seeds are toasting, grind a quarter of a cinnamon stick down in a pestle and mortar, along with two bay leaves. Alternatively, use a food blender. 5. Once the toasted ingredients start to appear a little darker, transfer them to the cinnamon and bay leaves. 6. Grind or blend your garam masala spices together until they become a powder. Use it in your cooking by adding wet ingredients so that the spices don't burn. For storage, put the garam masala in a clean jar.