Indian Cookery Lessons

Garam Masala

This is very popular and commonly used aromatic mixture of several spices. It comprises of various spices (anything

between 5 - 10). The combination varies from region to region within Indian. It is readily available as a commercial

mixture in most Asian shops. However, it can also be easily prepared at home.

Garam Masala - 400 gm:

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients in a non-stick frying pan, stirring continuously. Do this over very low heat to ensure they
do not burn.

When it starts giving out a pungent odour remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Grind the whole spices and allow it to pass through a very fine sieve or very fine muslin cloth. Throw away any big
lumps leaving behind the fine spice mixture..

Variation:

My favourite variation is that of only using three whole spices, i.e. small green

cardamom

, cloves and

cinnamon

sticks. This is a very popular and commonly used version of Garam Masala in Eastern India.

Tips:

For best impact, along with adding

Garam Masala

while cooking, sprinkle a small portion (1 teaspoon)

top of a

dish just before serving it on the table!