The World’s #1 Collection of Cookbook Recipes Online
Asian, Indian
garam-masala

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Translated as "sweet mix," garam masala is similar to a curry powder without the hot spices and turmeric. The main components of this mix are traditionally cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper with variations including fennel, nutmeg, nigella, fenugreek, cumin, and mustard seeds. Persian in origin, this spice mix is now indispensable in Northern Indian cuisine.

Yield : Makes 1/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2½ tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Remove the seeds from the cardamom and discard the pods. Break the cinnamon stick into small pieces. Put the cardamom seeds, cinnamon pieces, cumin seeds, whole cloves, and black peppercorns in a small flying pan. Dry-fry for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant. Set aside and cool. Put in a food processor or spice mill with the nutmeg and blend until finely ground.

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Notes

Although it can be used as a flavor base, garam masala is more frequently added to a dish at the end of cooking, to add a final touch of aromatics. Garam masala’s warm, pungent flavor helps define the taste of butter chicken, but is not often used in fish or vegetable dishes as it has a tendency to overwhelm them.


© 2008 Murdoch Books

Note from Cookstr's Editors

Nutritional information is based on 5 servings.

 

Nutritional Information

Nutrients per serving

29 kcal
7 % daily value
2 % daily value
0 % daily value
99 mg
20 mg
1 g
0 g
3 g
5 g
0 mg
8 mg
0 g
1 g
15 % daily value

Explore Cookbooks on Cookstr

nancy-silvertons-sandwich-book Nancy Silverton's Sandwich ...
by Nancy Silverton
rice Rice
by Bonnie Tandy Leblang, Joanne Lamb Hayes
flavor Flavor
by Rocco DiSpirito
sunday-suppers-at-lucques Sunday Suppers at Lucques
by Suzanne Goin
ham-an-obsession-with-the-hindquarter Ham: An Obsession with the ...
by Bruce Weinstein, Mark Scarbrough
the-sushi-experience The Sushi Experience
by Hiroko Shimbo
allergy-free-desserts Allergy-Free Desserts
by Elizabeth Gordon
american-masala American Masala
by Suvir Saran
good-to-the-grain Good to the Grain
by Kim Boyce
the-lee-bros-southern-cookbook-stories-and-recipes-for-southerners-and-would-be-southerners The Lee Bros. Southern Cook...
by Ted Lee, Matt Lee
amor-y-tacos Amor Y Tacos
by Deborah Schneider
nigella-express Nigella Express
by Nigella Lawson
the-deen-bros-take-it-easy-quick-and-affordable-meals-the-whole-family-will-love The Deen Bros. Take It Easy...
by Bobby Deen, Jamie Deen
fresh-from-the-market Fresh from the Market
by Laurent Tourondel
american-vegan-kitchen American Vegan Kitchen
by Tamasin Noyes
baked-explorations Baked Explorations
by Matt Lewis
antipasti-fabulous-appetizers-and-small-plates Antipasti: Fabulous Appetiz...
by Joyce Goldstein
everyday-chinese-cooking Everyday Chinese Cooking
by Katie Chin, Leeann Chin
how-to-be-a-domestic-goddess How to be a Domestic Goddess
by Nigella Lawson
the-gourmet-cookbook The Gourmet Cookbook
by Ruth Reichl
the-mozza-cookbook The Mozza Cookbook
by Nancy Silverton
complete-book-of-indian-cooking-350-recipes-from-the-regions-of-india Complete Book of Indian Coo...
by Suneeta Vaswani
lucindas-authentic-jamaican-kitchen Lucinda's Authentic Jamaica...
by Lucinda Scala Quinn
ice-creams-and-sorbets-cool-recipes Ice Creams and Sorbets: Coo...
by Lou Seibert Pappas
the-provence-cookbook The Provence Cookbook
by Patricia Wells
the-bread-bible The Bread Bible
by Rose Levy Beranbaum
desserts-4-today Desserts 4 Today
by Abby Dodge
usa-cookbook U.S.A. Cookbook
by Sheila Lukins
food-to-live-by Food to Live By
by Myra Goodman
mexican-made-easy-everyday-ingredients-extraordinary-flavor Mexican Made Easy: Everyday...
by Marcela Valladolid
down-home-with-the-neelys-a-southern-family-cookbook Down Home with the Neelys: ...
by Gina Neely, Pat Neely
the-whole-beast-nose-to-tail-eating The Whole Beast: Nose to Ta...
by Fergus Henderson
cook-with-jamie Cook with Jamie
by Jamie Oliver
hudson-valley-mediterranean-the-gigi-good-food-cookbook Hudson Valley Mediterranean...
by Laura Pensiero
cooking-with-too-hot-tamales Cooking with Too Hot Tamales
by Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger
living-raw-food Living Raw Food
by Sarma Melngailis
young-and-hungry-more-than-100-recipes-for-cooking-fresh-and-affordable-food-for-everyone Young and Hungry: More Than...
by Dave Lieberman
salmon-a-cookbook Salmon: A Cookbook
by Diane Morgan
a-new-way-to-cook A New Way to Cook
by Sally Schneider
urban-italian-simple-recipes-and-true-stories-from-a-life-in-food Urban Italian: Simple Recip...
by Andrew Carmellini
the-south-american-table-the-flavor-and-soul-of-authentic-home-cooking-from-patagonia-to-rio-de-janeiro-with-450-recipes The South American Table: T...
by Maria Baez Kijac
jacques-torres-a-year-in-chocolate-80-recipes-for-holidays-and-special-occasions Jacques Torres' A Year in C...
by Judith Choate, Jacques Torres
the-splendid-tables-how-to-eat-weekends The Splendid Table's How to...
by Sally Swift, Lynne Rosetto Kasper
the-new-basics-cookbook The New Basics Cookbook
by Sheila Lukins, Julee Rosso
125-best-vegan-recipes 125 Best Vegan Recipes
by Maxine Effenson Chuck, Beth Gurney
raos-cookbook Rao's Cookbook
by Frank Pellegrino
david-burkes-new-american-classics David Burke's New American ...
by David Burke, Judith Choate
daves-dinners-a-fresh-approach-to-home-cooked-meals Dave's Dinners: A Fresh App...
by Dave Lieberman
cooking-for-friends Cooking for Friends
by Gordon Ramsay
lidias-italy Lidia's Italy
by Lidia Bastianich
fresh-from-the-farmers-market-year-round-recipes-for-the-pick-of-the-crop Fresh from the Farmers' Mar...
by Janet Fletcher
the-sweet-life The Sweet Life
by Kate Zuckerman
julias-kitchen-wisdom Julia's Kitchen Wisdom
by Julia Child
a-bakers-odyssey A Baker's Odyssey
by Greg Patent
seriously-simple-easy-recipes-for-creative-cooks Seriously Simple: Easy Reci...
by Diane Rossen Worthington
rosas-new-mexican-table-friendly-recipes-for-festive-meals Rosa's New Mexican Table: F...
by Roberto Santibanez
david-rosengarten-entertains-fabulous-parties-for-food-lovers David Rosengarten Entertain...
by David Rosengarten
big-fat-cookies Big Fat Cookies
by Elinor Klivans
spice Spice
by Ana Sortun
mom-a-licious Mom-a-Licious
by Domenica Catelli
chez-panisse-fruit Chez Panisse Fruit
by Alice Waters
baked-new-frontiers-in-baking Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
by Matt Lewis, Renato Poliafito
fruits-of-the-harvest-recipes-to-celebrate-kwanzaa-and-other-holidays Fruits of the Harvest: Reci...
by Eric V. Copage
mexican-everyday Mexican Everyday
by Rick Bayless
hot-sour-salty-sweet Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet
by Jeffrey Alford, Naomi Duguid
le-bernardin-cookbook Le Bernardin Cookbook
by Eric Ripert, Maguy Le Coze
new-american-table New American Table
by Marcus Samuelsson
Already a member? Click here to Log In
close

Sign up to Cookstr!

  • Receive a free, handpicked selection of recipes in your inbox weekly
  • Save, share and comment on your favorite recipes in My Cookstr
  • Get updates on new Cookstr features and tools







By signing up you accept the
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Spinner
New to Cookstr? Click here to Sign Up
close


Forgot your password? Click here