Garam masala is a powdered blend of healthful, warming spices. Learn how to make an authentic Indian garam masala that's fresh and aromatic -- one that will amp up the appeal of any recipe you add it to.
![Homemade garam masala powder in a mason jar with a spoon in front.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-powder-recipe-1.jpg)
Making your own homemade garam masala powder will not just make you feel like a domestic god, it will make your home smell so fragrant, you might find yourself craving great Indian food.
And that's perfect, because there's no limit to the delicious recipes you can make with this masala.
Table of Contents
![A mason jar of freshly made garam masala with a spoon and a black napkin.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-powder-recipe-4.jpg)
What is garam masala?
Garam masala is an aromatic mix of spices that warm the body. Garam, in Hindi, means hot, and masala is a spice mix, and this blend originated in India's northern states, which, contrary to stereotypes about Indian weather, tend to get bitterly cold.
A typical garam masala spice mix would include cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns, all considered warming spices. For modern, all-weather use, most garam masala recipes now add balance by mixing in cooling spices, like fennel, green cardamom and coriander seed.
"Garam masala" is commonly understood outside India to mean the powdered spice blend. In India it can refer to a mix of whole spices as well ("whole garam masala"). Indian cooks distinguish between the two by calling the powdered blend "garam masala powder."
![Overhead shot of garam masala in a glass jar with a spoon next to it.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-powder-recipe.jpg)
Ingredients
![Whole spices for garam masala in bowls, including cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, stoneflower, fennel seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander seeds, red chili peppers, mace and coriander seeds.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-ingredients-3.jpg)
Spices are full of antioxidants and antiinflammatories--they are not just tasty, they are great for you. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of healing, has long used spices as medicine. They help balance the body's three doshas--vata, pitta and kapha.
- Cinnamon (dalchini): The benefits of this deep earthen-hued spice sourced from the bark of a tree range from lowering blood sugar levels to lowering cholesterol, fighting cancer and helping weight loss. It is also delicious, with spicy-sweet notes. The best cinnamon for Indian recipes is ceylon cinnamon. It is thinner and has a more delicate and sweeter flavor than the cassia cinnamon typically found here in the United States, which is thicker and rougher.
- Cloves (laung): These tiny dry, brown spices--which are actually flowers of the clove tree, have potent properties, including the ability to improve liver function, reduce ulcers and fight free radicals. Like cinnamon, this is an incredibly aromatic spice. Chew on one after meals for fresh breath.
- Bay leaves (tej patta): More of a herb than a spice, this is not an ingredient whose flavor profile is immediately obvious. In spice mixes bay leaves add subtle, flowery, herbal and slightly bitter notes. They help heal wounds and are anti-bacterial and anti-viral, among other benefits.
- Black cardamom (badi elaichi, kali elaichi): Despite their similar names--and the fact that they are both seed pods--green and black cardamom have very different flavor profiles. While the green variety is sweet and fragrant, the black pod, which looks more brown than black, is strong and smoky. But those properties make it an amazing addition to garam masala. The health benefits of this spice range from improving digestive health to heart health. It is also a diuretic.
- Green cardamom (hari elaichi): This is my favorite spice of all, because it is simply so exquisite, with that heady aroma. That aroma, and the natural sweetness of this spice, make it a natural addition to Indian sweets and in Indian-inspired recipes like the Vegan Turmeric Cake. But it holds its own in spicy dishes and blends like garam masala. It can also help guard against cancer, improve liver health and it is a powerful antibacterial, among its other benefits.
- Cumin seeds (jeera): Earthy but bold, cumin is one of the most ubiquitous spices in south Asian, middle eastern, north African and Latin-American cuisine. It can help reduce cholesterol and aid in weight loss.
- Coriander seeds (dhania ke beej): These are the dried fruit of the herb we call cilantro, with a taste that is somewhat similar although more concentrated. Coriander brings citrusy, floral freshness to a recipe and I cannot imagine being without in my kitchen. It also has great digestive benefits and is an antidiabetic and antioxidant.
- Fennel seeds (saunf): Fennel seed comes from the plant whose crunchy bulb is often added to salads and whose leaves make an amazing fennel fronds pesto. Fennel seeds taste like licorice and are indispensable in many Indian spices mixes, like panch phoron. They have great digestive and breath-freshening qualities. That's why they are often offered after a meal in Indian homes and restaurants. Fennel seeds also help reduce water retention and they protect from high blood pressure and cancer. If you don't have fennel, you can use star anise, or chakra phool, in this recipe, because it has many of the same flavor notes.
- Mace (javitri): This is the woody kernel of nutmeg, and it is used as a spice all by itself. Mace has a more subtle flavor than nutmeg. Among its many benefits, it helps boost blood circulation and reduce stress.
- Dry red chili peppers (lal mirch): These are not always added to garam masala, although I like to add a few, both for a touch of heat and for some color. You can leave them out in this recipe or tweak the quantity to your personal preference. If you use it, try and use a chili pepper that imparts bright red color, like Kashmiri chili, but is not too hot. The Kashmiri chili peppers I get at the Indian grocery store here don't tend to have much color so I added an unconventional ingredient--a couple of Mexican guajillo peppers -- for their color and mild heat. Chili peppers are packed with vitamins, and they suppress appetite and kickstart a sluggish metabolism, among other benefits.
- Black peppercorns (kali mirch, optional): You can skip black peppercorns if you are concerned about the level of heat in the recipe. Or add just a few peppercorns--four or five. Black peppercorns have a host of health benefits, including cancer fighting properties. They are also packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories and can help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
- Stone flower (dagad phool, patthar ke phool, optional): This is a lichen with a papery, dull, brown appearance. It has a woody, earthy aroma that adds mystical, delicious notes to food--call it the je ne sais quoi factor. It's benefits range from healing urinary tract infections to improving respiratory and digestive health. You can easily find stone flower at Indian stores but you can leave it out.
How to make garam masala (step by step)
![Garam masala ingredients in skillet before toasting](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-step-by-step-1.jpg)
Place large dry spices in skillet
![Garam masala ingredients in skillet](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-step-by-step-2.jpg)
Roast until a couple shades darker and aromatic.
![Spices for garam masala in skillet](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-step-by-step-3.jpg)
Add remaining spices to skillet.
![Spices for garam masala browning in skillet](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-step-by-step-4.jpg)
Roast until aromatic. Cool the spices and blend into a powder. It should be slightly coarse. Store in an airtight jar.
![Garam masala in mason jar and spoon next to it.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-powder-recipe.jpg)
Expert tips
- Always use whole spices to make garam masala. This is really, really important. No cook worth his or her salt should be mixing ground spices to make garam masala. There are two critical reasons for this.
- The ingredients of garam masala should already be cooked as the blend is usually added to finish a dish. Don't be tempted to make a quickie garam masala by blending bottled, store bought spice powders because the uncooked ingredients will add an unpleasant bitterness to your recipe.
- Second, and this one is even more important, by the time you buy a powdered spice and use it up over a course of months or even years, it will have lost most of its flavor. Spices have essential oils in them, which give them that heady aroma. But these oils are volatile and they will dissipate over time. By starting out with whole spices you will ensure your garam masala blend has the best aroma and it will last you much longer.
- Always roast the whole spices before you powder them. Always roast garam masala spices before you blend them for the best and most authentic flavor.
- Balance and layer the spices: Garam masala acquires its special flavor and aroma by layering on fruity, fragrant spices, like green cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon and fennel, with earthy ones, like peppercorns, bay leaf, cumin and stoneflower. You need a balance of both in the recipe.
- Make small batches at a time. Remember what I said about the volatile oils in spices dissipating with time? This recipe makes a little more than one packed cup of powdered masala. That would last someone who cooks Indian food most days, like me, three to four weeks. But if you don't cook Indian food regularly, make just enough to last you up to 3 months. See storage tips below for instructions on how to preserve your garam masala.
Recipe FAQs
You can whole spices at the Indian grocery store and online via Amazon. The Indian grocery store has better prices and you'll find everything under one roof. But if you want organic versions you're more likely to find them online. Whole spices can last up to three or four years. Store them in containers that are airtight in a cool, dry environment.
Some online sources say powdered spices last 2-4 years but it is safest to use them up within a year.
Store homemade garam masala or any powdered spice in an airtight jar, in a cool, dark, dry place. If you have room in the refrigerator, your spices are safest in there.
The "garam" or "hot" in garam masala doesn't refer to how hot the spices are; they refer to the fact that this is a spice blend intended to warm the body. You can tweak the heat in the garam masala by adjusting the number of red chili peppers up or down.
Garam masala evolved as a north Indian spice blend, while curry powder was created by Indian cooks for British palates, as an all-purpose spice mix, during the colonial era. The two are quite distinct although they do have some common ingredients. A curry powder borrows elements from sambar powder, a spice blend used in south India, like lentils and fenugreek. Curry powder also contains turmeric--an ingredient that's not typically added to garam masala.
The flavor profiles of garam masala and curry powder are quite different and they are not interchangeable--at least not in traditional dishes. But you can sometimes substitute one for the other in modern spin-off versions of Indian recipes like my easy vegetable curry.
Garam masala is usually added to finish off a dish. There are some exceptions but if your recipe doesn't specify an exact time it is safe to assume that you should add the garam masala at the tail end and just before you turn the heat off. Garam masala spices are already toasted so it doesn't need to cook again with the rest of the recipe.
Recipes with garam masala
![Garam masala in a small glass mason jar with a spoon filled with the spice mix next to it.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-powder-recipe-3.jpg)
![Front photo of a jar filled to the brim with garam masala](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/garam-masala-featured-image-360x360.jpg)
Garam Masala Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 inch-long pieces cinnamon (dalchini)
- 5-6 dry bay leaves (tej patta)
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom pods (hari elaichi)
- 4 black cardamom pods (kaali elaichi, badi elaichi)
- 2 mace (javitri)
- 8-10 dry red chili peppers (laal mirch. Use Kashmiri chili peppers or any mild to moderately hot chili pepper)
- ¼ cup coriander seeds (dhania ke beej)
- 1 ½ tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf. Use 2 star anise as a substitute)
- 1 tablespoon cloves (laung)
- 1 tablespoon stone flower (dagad phool or patthar phool, optional)
Instructions
- Heat a wide skillet over medium low heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, red chili peppers, green and black cardamom.
- Roast until the ingredients are just a couple of shades darker and smell fragrant. Remove to a plate or bowl to cool.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet and toast them, again until a couple of shades darker and fragrant. Also remove to the plate or bowl.
- Once the spice ingredients have cooled, place them in a blender (preferably one fitted with a jar for dry blending), or to a spice grinder. Blend into a coarse powder.
- Store in an airtight jar.
Chris
Sorry, just to be clear… I grind the cardamom husks along with the seeds, is that right? I’m a bit confused because other authors (e.g. Charmaine Solomon) instruct to grind only the seeds, not the husks in her Garam Masala version. Is it just a matter of personal preference or convenience?
Thanks so much,
Chris
Vaishali
Yes, just grind the husks with the seeds. The husks have good flavor too and they add some texture to the masala.
Chris
Hi Vaishali, am I supposed to remove the seeds from the cardamom pods before grinding?
Thanks so much,
Chris
Vaishali
Hi Chris, the cardamom seeds have all the flavor so definitely keep them!
Anita
This is such an amazing spice mix. I have been making it for nearly a year now and as soon as it begins to run out I mix up another batch. Easy and so satisfying.
Vaishali
So happy to hear, Anita. It's a staple in our house too.
NotBuyingIt!
I really appreciate articles like this! Thank you 🙂
Rachel
I made a trip to the Indian market yesterday to pick up these ingredients, I already had some of them, and made this last night. The kitchen smelled wonderful, and I plan to use it in your vegetable curry tonight. What a find.
Vaishali
So happy you tried it! ❤️