Garam Masala which literally means Hot Spice is neither a delectable dish from any restaurant nor the nickname of any famous rock star. It is an aromatic blend of magical Indians spices concocted to add passion to your cooking.
Let's find what goes into making this strong aromatic mixture which is an essential component of Indian recipes.
Ingredients
- Black peppercorns- ¼ cups
- White peppercorns- ¼ cups
- Green cardamom- 10 pieces
- Black cardamom- 2 pieces
- Cinnamon- 5 sticks (1 inch)
- Cloves- 2 tbsp
- Coriander seeds- ¼ cups
- Cumin seeds- ½ cup
- Nutmeg- ½ or ¼
- Turmeric- ¼ stick (optional)
- Fennel seeds- ¼ cups
- Mace- 2 tbsp
- Star anise- 3 to 4 pieces
- Bay leaves- 5 leaves
Note: This quantity yields around 200 grams of Garam Masala.
How to prepare Garam Masala
- Add all the dry spices in a heavy skillet. Dry roast them for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally till they release their essential oils and become aromatic. Do not roast the spices on high heat as it may brown the spices prematurely and leave the insides undercooked.
- It is advisable to take nutmeg in a mortar-pestle and crush it before putting it in the blender
- Break cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces before putting in the blender
- Take the crushed nutmeg, broken cinnamon sticks and other roasted spices in a blender. Grind them to get a smooth powder
- Garam Masala is ready for use
Note: It is advised to prepare a small batch of Garam Masala as its aroma wanes out with time.
How to store Garam Masala
- Let the ground powder of Garam Masala cool down
- Spoon the powder in a clean airtight glass jar
- Store it in a cool dry place
Health Benefits of Garam Masala
Prepared as a powdered mix of healthy Indian spices, Garam Masala is packed with hordes of health benefits, some of which are listed below:
- Helps build immunity
- Relieves pain and inflammation
- Detoxifies body
- Reduces bloating
- Cures bad breath
- Slows ageing process
- Increases absorption of vitamins, minerals and proteins
- Relieves gastrointestinal problems, reduces heartburn
- Good for stomach
- Lowers glycemic index which helps reduce blood sugar levels
How to use Garam Masala
- You can add Garam Masala at any point during the cooking process. You can saute with Garam Masala in the beginning, or add it halfway through cooking.
- It can be added as a “finishing spice” towards the end of cooking. Sprinkling a little mix at the end of the recipe heightens the flavour to amazing levels.
Note: Use your homemade Garam Masala carefully. Going overboard with Garam Masala runs the risk of overpowering other flavours of your recipe. For a serving of 4 to 5, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of Garam Masala.
At Singal's, we believe in making your life easy. Try our pack of Garam Masala Whole (comes with most of the ingredients which can be blended into a fine powder), or our ready-to-use Garam Masala Powder.
Who are we? Singal's Indian Grocery is an online Indian grocery store that allows you to receive your favorite Indian products at home! We offer delivery everywhere in Canada. We have more than 700 products that we will gladly deliver to your door!
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