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Homemade Garam Masala Recipe

Natalie Perry — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 21:08:56 +0000

I’ve been making Indian-inspired recipes for over 10 years. Back then it was more difficult to find this blend in grocery stores so I made my own! I’ll show you how to customize this exotic blend to give your Indian recipes the perfect amount of zip.

Making spice blends is a specialty of mine, and this particular recipe has options for using pre-ground spices (you might have most of them already!) or grinding your own from whole spices!

I’ll also link you to recipes where you can use garam masala!

What is garam masala?

It's a spice blend commonly used in Indian cuisine. There are many variations on it, but this particular blend can be made with spices easily found at most grocery stores.

Garam Masala vs Curry Powder

Both garam masala and curry powder have a cumin-coriander base with a little heat.

Madras curry powder (the blend we all think of when you say "curry powder") has turmeric (which is why it turns everything flaming yellow) and sometimes ginger.

Garam Masala has more baking spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom.

I LOVE all of the baking spices in garam masala.

Recipes using Garam Masala

Now, comes the fun part! Here are a few recipes on my site that use garam masala. Knock yourselves out!

Easy Lentil Curry
Egg Curry
Instant Pot Indian Chicken Curry
Chicken Saag (swap out chicken for paneer chunks for Saag Paneer!)
Slow Cooker Indian Beef

Garam Masala Ingredients

Here are some Amazon links in case you'd like to buy these whole spices online. I tried to find small-ish bulk packages so you don't end up with 5 pounds of cloves.

Again, you don't have to make this blend from whole spices, and I added the measurements for pre-ground spices in the recipe notes.

Black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves tend to be inexpensive at the grocery store. I just linked to the ones that would be more economical bought online.

Do I have to use whole spices?

OK, don't be scared by this. You don't have to grind your own whole spices to make this. I do because I'm a spice geek and it makes me feel chefy. I mean, look how pretty they are!

I included the measurements for ground spices in case you want to go the sane route.

But, if you're up for some extra fun and a trip to flavortown, hear me out.

Where do you find whole spices?

When I first started grinding my own spices, I bought bags of whole spices at local Indian & Asian grocery stores. That's a fun place, if you've never been.

If you have a grocery store with a bulk spice section, check there, too! World Market has whole spices in small packages if you want to make just one or two batches of garam masala.

Luckily now you can find just about everything online. I'll link to the ingredients for garam masala below:

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Garam Masala Spice FAQs

Do you have to toast the spices?

I suppose not, but toasting them brings out even more flavor and if you're going to the trouble to grind spices whole, then take an extra 5 minutes and toast them, too.
It's easy. Just put them in a dry skillet for 5 minutes or so over medium-low heat until they're fragrant.

Why grind your own spices?

I grind some of my own spices for a couple of reasons:

Fresher, more flavorful spices
The first time I did it, over 10 years ago, I made Homemade Curry Powder. After grinding some cumin seeds and comparing the fragrance with some store-bought ground cumin, there was literally no comparison.
Ever since I've been grinding my own cumin, coriander, and cloves. And every time I use nutmeg, I grate some with a Microplane grater.
Once you start keeping a few whole spices on hand it's easy to make Indian style blends like curry and garam masala. Also, pumpkin pie spice is SUPER tasty with freshly ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Just sayin'.

Whole spices are more economical
It's true.
A regular 1.3ish ounce spice jar of ground cumin is roughly $3-5, depending on the brand. That's $2-4 per ounce.
A bag of bulk cumin seeds is about .60-.90 per ounce. Again this varies depending on where you buy it.

Whole spices have a longer shelf life than ground spices
When you grind up a spice, the freshness clock immediately starts ticking.
Most places will tell you to replace your spices every 6-12 months. I'm not that extreme, but I do see the wild difference between pre-ground and freshly ground spices. I mean, we really don't know how long those spices have been sitting in those bottles.
By storing them whole, that clock doesn't start ticking for a VERY long time. I've had some whole spices for years and years and they still smell great when I grind them.
I'm not going to get all snobby and tell you that you should ONLY grind your own spices. I don't. But I do grind the ones that I use a lot (cumin, coriander, cloves, nutmeg). You do what you think is worth your time.

How do you grind your own spices?

I use a cheap coffee grinder I found on the clearance rack of a grocery store. That's really all you need. I couldn't find one exactly like mine, but here's a similar inexpensive coffee grinder on Amazon.
If you also grind your own coffee, I wouldn't use the same grinder for both unless you want your coffee to start tasting like curry.

More Delicious Spice Blends on Perry's Plate

Homemade Curry Powder

The Best Taco Seasoning Ever

Greek Seasoning

Thai Seasoning Blend

Find even more on this post: My Favorite Spice Blends

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Garam Masala Spice Recipe

Yield: About ¾ cup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Garam Masala is an Indian-style spice blend that is rich with warm baking spices. You can make it by grinding your own spices or using pre-ground. (See recipe notes!)

Ingredients

2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 3-4 pieces
⅓ cup coriander seeds
¼ cup cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 Tablespoon green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 small dried chili
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Place all of the spices, except the nutmeg, into a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toast them for about 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until everything is hot and fragrant. They burn easily, so watch them carefully.
Let the spices cool for 5 minutes. Grind them in batches in a small coffee or spice grinder.
Transfer the spices to a lidded container and add the nutmeg. Shake well. Store covered at room temperature.

*Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

If you'd rather make this blend from pre-ground spices here are the measurements for you:

2 bay leaves, crushed (just crush them as best you can with your fingers or omit them entirely)
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 Tablespoons ground coriander
4 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 ½ teaspoons finely ground pepper
2 teaspoons ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or just a pinch)
1 ½ Tablespoons ground cardamom

*Original recipe adapted from Epicurious.com.

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Homemade Curry Powder

Natalie Perry — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:27:00 +0000

As a seasoned (har har) recipe creator who specializes in spice blends, let me give you a warning. Once you make your own curry powder, you’ll never want to go back to the sad yellow dust with the red lid. Keep a jar of this in your cabinet to breathe new life into your curry recipes!

The downside of making your own spices is that it’s REALLY annoying when you go to use it and you happen to be out. And then you have to make a new batch right then. Worth it though.

Thankfully this comes together quickly using pre-ground spices. If you’re feeling extra, I included a variation using whole spices that you grind in a spice/coffee grinder. Whether you want to nerd out with me or not you’ll end up with a curry powder you’ll love!

What is Curry Powder?

If you're new to using curry powder, it's a blend of spices that is typically used in Indian style cooking. The yellow curry powder that you see in the grocery store is actually madras curry powder.

Curry itself isn't a spice. The closest word that would describe it is "gravy". If you've had Indian cuisine, you've most likely had some sort of curry -- a blend of vegetables and meat (but sometimes meatless) simmered in a thick, heavily spiced sauce.

There are some high quality curry powders in nicer grocery stores, but I'd stay away from the most common one with the red lid. You know what I'm talking about.

Curry Spice Recipe Ingredients

This varies wildly, but most yellow curry powder has a base of cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Sometimes other spices are thrown. It's actually pretty adaptable. This particular combination is my favorite:

Cumin
Coriander
Fennel
Turmeric
Clove
Cinnamon
Chili

How to make Homemade Curry Powder

There are a couple of ways to do this -- by grinding your own spices (highly recommended and best flavor for sure) or by using pre-ground spices. You'll get a great curry powder using pre-ground spices -- probably more flavorful than a basic store curry powder.

If you're going to grind whole spices, you need to get a coffee grinder. Or a second coffee grinder if you happen to use yours for coffee. Unless you want "spiced" coffee.

If you've never used one, it's like a super-strong mini food processor. For dry things. Don't try to make pesto or anything.

After toasting the whole spices in a skillet to deepen their flavor. Let them cool off and grind them in a coffee grinder.

My grinder is literally a super cheap one I got from the clearance rack at the grocery store after my nice, Cuisinart one died. Expensive isn't always better.

Then you add in the ground turmeric and cinnamon.

Using whole turmeric would involve grating and drying and pulverizing fresh turmeric. Even I have my boundaries.

Now it's ready to use! Store it like any other spice blend in your cupboard.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Ways to Use Your DIY Curry Powder

Indian-Style Butternut Squash Soup is a silky, paleo-friendly soup with hint of curry flavor!

We love Mulligatawny soup, too! It's another silky smooth soup with bits of chicken & rice added. Our kids love it.

For an easy, meatless dinner, try Vegetarian Chickpea Curry.

My kids will only eat cauliflower in the form of Curry Roasted Cauliflower.

Mango Chicken Curry is another great family-friendly meal.

How to Store Homemade Curry Powder

Store this curry powder in a lidded container or spice jar at room temperature for up to a year for best flavor.

If you make this recipe, be sure to post it to social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

DIY Curry Powder

Yield: Scant ⅓ cup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

If your experience with curry powder is the sad yellow dust with the red lid, stick around. I'll show you how to make homemade curry powder and it may change your curry life. You can grind it from whole spices or use pre-ground. I included instructions for both in the recipe notes!

Ingredients

1-4 small dried chilis
1 Tablespoon coriander seed
1 Tablespoon cumin seed
1 Tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon green cardamom pods
½ teaspoon whole cloves
1 Tablespoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Decide how spicy you'd like your curry powder and put 1-4 chilis into a small skillet along with the coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom, and cloves. Toast over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the spices are warm and fragrant. Watch them closely since they burn easily.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes and then grind everything in batches in a coffee or spice grinder. Transfer the ground spices into a small lidded jar.
Add the turmeric and cinnamon and shake well. Store at room temperature for about a year.

Notes

If you'd rather use all ground spices, here are the measurements:

Pinch - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground fennel (if this is hard to find, just use more ground coriander)
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

This recipe is slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks.

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