Indian food is celebrated across the world. Indian spices are known for their power-packed flavours and health benefits. While most of us resort to store-bought spices, what if we told you that you can make garam masala in the comfort of your home?! Garam masala is a blend of spices that usually comprises ingredients like fennel, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander and chilli among other ingredients. Chef Ajay Chopra has shared a video on Instagram explaining how to make garam masala at home.
Are there different types of garam masala?
Garam masala is an interesting mix of spices like sweet cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander, cumin, and cardamom. There is no one garam masala recipe, in fact, the ingredients change according to the region and chef. In the north, it is aromatic and mild, whereas, in the south, it is hotter and powerful.
Also Read: Make Your Own Garam Masala At Home With These 4 Must-Have Spices
Let us start with the South Indian garam masala variant.
How To Make South Indian Garam Masala:
Ingredients for South Indian Garam Masala:
- Coriander seeds - 4 tablespoons
- Jeera - 2 tablespoon
- Star anise 3 or 4 pieces
- Mace - 4 or 5 tablespoons
- Black cardamom - 7 pieces
- Black pepper - ½ tablespoon
- Cloves - ½ tablespoon
- Cinnamon - 4 pc
- Dry red chilli - 6 pieces
- Long pepper - 6 or 7 pieces
- Nutmeg - ½ pc
- Green cardamom -1 tablespoon
- Bayleaf - 5 pieces
Method:
1. Add coriander seeds, jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon, dry red chilli, long pepper and nutmeg to a hot pan and roast them on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Then, set aside to cool.
2. In another pan, roast green cardamom, mace, star anise and black cardamom on low flame. Once it releases an aroma, stop roasting them.
3. Next, roast black pepper and clove separately.
4. Place and spread all the roasted masala on a plate to cool.
5. Once cooled, add the spices to a mixer grinder.
6. Once it is ground into a fine powder, store it in an airtight container.
7. Ensure that the mixer does not get too hot.
Now, let us take a look at what you will need to make the North Indian version.
How To Make North Indian Garam Masala:
- Coriander seeds - 4 tablespoons
- Jeera - 2 tablespoons
- Bayleaf - 4 or 5 pieces
- Cinnamon - 4-inch pc
- Dry red chilli - 5 pieces
- Nutmeg - Half piece
- Green cardamom - 1 tablespoon
- Mace - 1 tablespoon
- Dry rose petals - 2 tablespoons
- Black cardamom - Half tablespoon
- Black pepper - Half tablespoon
- Cloves - Half tablespoon
Method:
1. In a hot pan, take coriander seeds, jeera, bay leaf, cinnamon, dry red chilli and nutmeg and roast them on low flame for 3 or 4 minutes and set aside to cool.
2. In another pan, take green cardamom, mace, dry rose petals and black cardamom, and lightly roast it on low flame. Stop roasting once the spices release aroma.
3. Roast black pepper and clove separately.
4. Then, spread all the roasted masala on a plate so it can cool.
5. Grind these roasted and cooled spices in a mixer grinder.
6. Store the fine powder it in an airtight container.
You can watch the recipe video of North Indian and South Indian garam masala here:
Tell us what you think of this simple garam masala recipe in the comments.