How to cook and grind your own Garam Masala

What is garam masala?

Garam masala, which means "hot spice" in Hindi, is an Indian spice blend usually used for finishing dishes throughout northern India. Despite the name, garam masala is not especially spicy, and the "hot" may refer to the fact that the spices are toasted before grinding. The recipe changes from region to region, with each household adding its own touch. However, some of the common elements are peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, cloves, and bay leaves. 

As a rule, garam masala is added at the last step of cooking, almost like a fresh herb. If cooked too long, it becomes bitter.

How to cook and grind your own Garam Masala

1 cinnamon stick (2-1/2 to 3 inches long), broken into pieces

2 bay leaves

1/4 cup cumin seeds

1/3 cup coriander seeds

1 Tbs. green cardamom pods

1 Tbs. whole black peppercorns

2 tsp. whole cloves

1 small dried red chili, stemmed

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)

1/8 tsp. ground mace

Heat the cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, peppercorns, cloves, and chili in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cumin seeds darken to a deep, toasty brown color, 2 to 3 minutes—the spices may crackle and smoke a bit. Immediately transfer to a plate or bowl to cool. Add the nutmeg and mace, and grind the spices in a spice grinder to a fine powder, working in batches if necessary.