Garam Masālā

Garam masālā means “warm spice blend” in Hindi, and it provides incredible nuance and warmth without spicy heat. It is used widely throughout North Indian cuisine and in the recipes in this book. Black cardamom (which offers smoky depth) and mace (the outer coating of nutmeg, which lends a subtle floral sweetness) may be more difficult to find at your average grocer, but I recommend sourcing them from an Indian grocer or online. Feel free to omit them if they’re not available.