Garam Masala

Name: Garam Masala
Yield: Makes 225g/8oz
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1½ tbsp black stone flower; 1½ tbsp black peppercorns; 5 black cardamom pods; 2 cinnamon sticks; 1 tbsp fennel seeds; 1½ tbsp black cumin seeds; 1½ tsp fenugreek seeds; ½ nutmeg; 2–3 mace blades; 5 star anise; 4 bay leaves; 1½ tbsp coriander seeds; 2½ tbsp cumin seeds; 1½ tbsp cloves; 4–5 whole dried Kashmiri red chillies; 1½ tbsp green cardamom pods

Preparation info

Makes
225 g

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Yatra

By Rohit Ghai

Published 2025

About

The garam masala spice blend is the backbone of Indian cuisine – an important mix that is used for nearly all savoury preparations. A combination of 16 whole spices, it is warm and fragrant, and just a pinch will take your dish to the next level. This is my mother’s special blend.

Ingredients

4–5 whole dried Kashmiri red chillies
5 star anise
½ nutmeg
2

Asia
India
Spice Mix
Gluten-free
Vegan

Method

Heat a heavy, dry frying pan over a low-medium heat and slowly roast each spice individually until it releases its aroma and is hot to touch. Transfer to a large plate and leave to cool.

When cool, grind the roasted spices (in batches) to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Sift the ground spices to remove any large, coarse pieces, and grind those again. Mix the resulting powder together