Authentic homemade garam masala spice blend made with whole spices or ground spices. Use fresh spices to make the best tasting garam masala ever, and it’s ready in just 5 minutes!
I make Indian inspired dishes all the time, and garam masala is one of the most used spice blends in my kitchen along with Italian seasoning, and Middle Eastern Baharat.
The reason why I love making my own spice blends at home is that I can control the ingredients, the ratios, and the spiciness. Plus, it’s much cheaper to make your own blends at home and think about the added sugars and additives that are often added to store-bought blends.
Garam masala is one of the spice blends that I always keep a large jar in my pantry. I add it to curries, mushroom bhaji, raitas, and every time I want to add an Indian touch to a dish.
What Is Garam Masala
So, “garam” means hot, and “masala” means a mixture of spices. So garam masala is a mixture of spices that originated in India and used as a seasoning in many Indian dishes.
The components of the masala are toasted to activate them so that they release their flavors and fragrances, then ground together to get the mixture to be used in preparing different dishes. There are many different versions of garam masala in India, and the different flavors depend on the area where they come from.
Our version here is the closest to authentic, that you can easily make in the Western world. And by that I mean, using ingredients that are easy to find in your grocery store.
Garam Masala Ingredients
- Cinnamon sticks – or cassia bark.
- Bay leaves.
- Nutmeg, and cloves.
- Black peppercorns.
- Cumin seeds, and coriander seeds.
- Dried chili – substitute with chili powder if that’s what you have available.
- Cardamom pods – we used green but you can use black cardamom if that’s what you have available. Although they taste different, they are typically used and work in this mix.
How to Make Garam Masala
- First, you need to collect the spices. You can either collect ground spices and just mix them, or as I did, collect whole spices and toast them then grind them.
- To toast the spices, put them in a dry hot skillet and toast for 4-5 minutes. I use a wooden spoon and mix so they don’t get burnt. They will be really fragrant once toasted.
- Alternatively, put the spices on a sheet pan and bake at 180c (360f) for 5 minutes.
- Once the spices are toasted, grind them using a pestle and mortar or an electric grinder.
If you’re looking to buy a really good electric spice grinder, then I can recommend this Cuisinart spice grinder (currently on sale for just $36, it went down from $70).
This is the grinder that we used at the cookery school when I did my chef training, it’s so efficient, and the reason why I love it is because it comes with a removable stainless steel bowl (most cheaper spice grinders come with built-in bowls which makes them so difficult to clean). And you can just pop the bowl in the dishwasher! It’s also great for grinding nuts.
The KitchenAid spice grinder is also great, it comes with 2 bowls and that’s perfect if you also would like to also grind coffee.
Storing Spices
Whole spices stay fresh for longer, once you grind them, they need to be stored in a cool dry place. However, homemade spices last much longer than any ground spice that you buy from a store. So store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place for up to a year.
Recipes That Use Garam Masala
- Butter chicken
- Cauliflower butter “chicken”
- Kidney bean curry
- Creamy coconut korma
- Tandoori salmon
- Lamb keema
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Homemade Garam Masala Recipe
Ingredients
Using Ground Spices
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
Using Whole Spices
- 2 cinnamon sticks or cassia bark
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
- 1 piece whole nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 1 dried chili optional
- 2 bay leaves optional
Instructions
Using ground spices
- In a bowl, combine all of the ground spices and stir well.
- Transfer to an airtight container, then label and date the container.
Using whole spices
- Gather all the whole spices, and h a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Add the whole spices to the skillet and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until aromatic.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Grind the spices into a fine powder using a pestle and mortar or an electric grinder.
- Transfer to an airtight container, then label and date the container.
Notes:
- You can easily double or triple this recipe.
- Whole spices stay fresh for longer, once you grind them, they need to be stored in a cool dry place. However, homemade spices last much longer than any ground spice that you buy from a store. So store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place for up to a year.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Alison says
What are the measurements if using ground spices for this recipe? Thanks!