Garam Masala

Though most spices are heated and cooked in oil early in the cooking process to bring out their flavor and, in turn, flavor the oil, this powdered spice blend is generally added to a dish near the end of cooking. It is made of whole spices that are dry roasted, then ground to a powder. Because the spices have already been heated, their essential oils and flavors have been released, so they can be added as a final flavoring. See also Sambhar Powder and Fragrant Sri Lankan Spice Powder.