Garam masala (regular) – the magic Indian spice blend

Garam masala is the magic Indian spice blend that can make many Indian dishes sparkle. We may regulate the heat in this blend by controlling the clove and pepper content in the mix. Many Punjabi recipes, e.g. chhole, meat dishes, even paneer items taste just right with a last minute sprinkle of this wonder blend. Here’s the recipe.

1 tbsp black pepper corns (gol morich)
1 tbsp green cardamom (choto elach)
1 tbsp clove (labongo)
3 pcs of 1” stick cinnamon (dar chini)
2 bay leaves (tej pata)
1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds (dhania/dhone)
2 tbsp caraway seeds (shahi jeera)

Dry roast the bay leaves, cloves and cardamoms, and rest of the spices in three separate batches.

You could follow a similar procedure as the shahi garam masala. Pop in all the spices in the microwave oven together for one minute. Remove the cloves first. Then roast for another 20 secs. Remove everything except bay leaves. Roast another 30 secs or until the bay leaves are brittle (not burnt).

Let cool and blend all the spices in a spice or coffee grinder.

Store in air tight jar (don’t use a large jar for this - the less air it is exposed to the better flavor it retains. You can store it for up to 6 months.