Warm up with garam masala

If there is something I would like to keep as a secret in my kitchen vault it would be my recipe of garam masala powder… that magic spice. Sure take some cinnamon, cumin, cloves, caraway, cardamoms and roast and then grind them. But how much of each? Ah, that’s all in the vault!

Garam masala – the individualistic approach!

Seriously, garam masala is an individualised recipe. If you think you should research it further next time when at the mall pick up all possible packets of garam masala marketed by different companies. As you use them one by one you will realise the truth. Leave the commercial mixtures, try asking any housewife for her garam masala recipe and she will give you an answer similar to mine…list of ingredients but not the measurements!! In fact she could go one step forward and even give you a sample to take home so that you can break your head and try and make out how much is what going by the taste alone!! Difficult proposition this!

So my idea is to encourage you to make your own garam masala and guard it well. Garam literally means hot or warm. So this spice garam masala lives up to its name. In case a movie or a restaurant uses garam masala as a title or name understand that we can expect some zesty and spirited stuff. Just a pinch of garam masala added towards the end of the cooking process (dals, vegetables, meat curries, pulaos, sprinkled on chilled dahi wadas!) ensures a flavour to the dish that is unique. Just as I am penning this there will be someone somewhere mixing up his or her own characteristic garam masala taking the traditional cinnamon, coriander, star anise, cuimn, caraway seeds, cloves, fennel, green cardamoms, bay leaves, button chillies etc. etc. in a proportion that is his or her wish to make a powder that will give the recipes a kick, a magical spin, or a heartwarming effect! 

Make it up, the right way!

Incidentally many commercial mixtures may include more of other less expensive spices like the regular dried red chillies, dried garlic and ginger powder, or sesame and mustard seeds to give volume. This sort of mixture really does not keep well too and soon loses its aroma even if you put in a bottle with the tightest lid. The correct method to make your garam masala is the traditional way and that is it to take the whole spices (which keep fresh much longer), roast them individually and then pound them in a mortar with a pestle. Well, I agree that is stretching too much so let’s take these roasted spices and whirr them up in the electric grinder. 

Adding the Indianness

This spice blend has another unique feature that makes it dear to my heart. Indian food is the only cuisine that has more than one unique spice in most of the dishes. In addition to that we add this concoction: garam masala! Fact is that garam masala is used (though the recipes vary from region to region, from home to home) only in India and the rest of the Indian Subcontinent. If some European wants to learn Indian cooking, he will have to learn about garam masala too! Originally this spice blend was popular only in the northern colder states of India as it adds a sense of warmth to both palate and spirit and acts as a digestive aid. 

Use it, the right time!

There are some recipes that demand the addition of garam masala in the beginning of the cooking process rather than at the end. In this case the whole spices are used and if you do not want the spice in your mouth later on one can tie them up in a potli and discard later. In fact this is just like the western bouquet garni. In case you need to add garam masala powder in the beginning of the cooking process take care to add in a small quantity, otherwise the garam masala will overpower. It is mostly added at the end of the cooking process so that the full aroma is not lost. Make it in small batches at home and store in a cool dry place for no more than six months. There are probably as many recipes of garam masala in India as there are families. 

The special recipe

But there is one particular blend that I am sure you will love to have on your kitchen shelf: 1-2 (2 grams) star anise; 6 (6 grams) black cardamoms; 2½ teaspoons (3 grams) (58) black peppercorns; 10 one inch sticks (7 grams) cinnamon; 1 tablespoon (6 grams) (76) cloves; 4 grams (8) green cardamoms; 1 flower (1 gram) mace (javitri); 4 tablespoons (20 grams) coriander seeds; 3 tablespoons (17 grams) cumin seeds; ½ teaspoon (2 grams), grated nutmeg; ½ teaspoon (3 grams) salt. 

Heat a heavy frying pan on medium heat and gently roast all ingredients (leave cardamoms in their pods till later) except the salt, till they turn a few shades darker. Stir occasionally. Do not be tempted to speed up the process by turning up the heat as the spices will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside. When the spices are roasted turn of the heat and allow them to cool. Once cooled, remove the cardamom seeds from their skins and mix them back with all the other roasted spices. Grind them all together, to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.

One word in closing: every chef has his own recipe of garam masala. You blend yours using the spices you like!