Spice
Garam masala
Also called garam masala blend
A North Indian finishing blend of warming spices — typically cardamom, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, cumin, sometimes nutmeg. Every household ratios it differently, so the jar is a style, not a legal recipe.
Origin
From the Indian subcontinent: a garam ('warming') mix added to rich meat and gravy dishes.
Flavour
Cardamom and clove first if the blend is good, then cinnamon and pepper. Stale garam masala smells of dusty cinnamon and nothing else.
How it is made
Whole spices are toasted or left raw, depending on the house, then ground. A small home batch is a brighter ingredient.
How to use it
Add it near the end of butter chicken, biryani or a gravy so the volatile oils stay in the sauce, not in the extractor fan. A minute of gentle heat is enough; frying it at the start with the onions dulls it and can turn clove bitter. It is not a substitute for the cumin, coriander and chilli you already cooked. Curry powder will yellow the sauce and change the flavour; do not swap them. Salt separately.
Storage
Airtight, away from light.
Recipes using it
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