Garam Masala

Garam masala is a powdered spice blend that is added near the end of cooking to give a last-minute touch of flavor. A famous Indian cookbook from South Africa called Indian Delights, first published in 1961, calls it Pepping-Up Spice, and that’s a good way to think of it.

Garam means “hot” or “heating,” and masala means “spice blend.” We think in this case the “hot” may refer to the fact that the spices are toasted, then ground, rather than to some hotness of fl