Garam Masala

Garam masala is a spice mix that is commonly made using a mix of cumin, coriander, green and black cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, mace, and dried chilies. The amount of each spice used in the mix will vary. We make our Garam Masala without dried chiles so it's mild and versatile. You can add your own chiles if you want to add heat to Garam Masala.

Curry powder and garam masala are both spice blends and are made using a mix of different spices. The main difference between both spice blends are the actual spices used in the blend. Garam masala typically uses a mix of coriander, green and black cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, dried chilis, cumin, mace, fennel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Meanwhile, curry powder uses a mix of milder spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, and fenugreek.

Although garam masala is a mix of numerous spices, you can just as easily create a substitute using just cumin and allspice.

Curry powder is also a good substitute for garam masala. While it doesn’t have the same spice mix garam masala has, it does impart a good deal of flavor that can instantly spice up your dish and add more depth to it.

As a spice mix, the flavor of garam masala is quite complex. When you try to taste it as is, it gives you an explosion of flavor, all coming from the plethora of spices contained within the mix. It has a sweetness, slight bitterness, some earthiness, some floral notes, and a bit of heat coming from the chilis and peppers.

The name garam masala comes from the Hindi language that directly translates to “hot mixture”. However, the name might be a misnomer and may simply refer to its intense aroma since garam masala generally isn’t as hot as they’re thought to be.

One of the best ways to tone down the flavor of garam masala is by adding acids to the dish. Simply add lemons or some authentic Indian spices like mango powder or tamarind to mask the strong taste of the blend.

The spices used in garam masala are toasted before they are ground and added to the mix, which means they can’t handle high temperatures. Further exposure to high temperatures could alter the flavor. When cooking with the spice blend, make sure you add them towards the end of the cooking process to prevent it from burning.

Garam masala is typically added towards the end of the cooking process to preserve its flavor. Exposure to high amounts of heat could burn the spices, which may alter its flavor.

Garam masala may have originated from the northern region of India where the spice blend is heavily used in traditional Mughal dishes.