Punjabi Garam Masala

Garam Masala is a warm toasted spice blend, a literal translation. Garam means ‘warm or hot’ and Masala translates to mixed ‘spices. As the name suggests, Garam Masala is made by carefully toasting and grinding a selection of whole spices. I have a full blogpost describing individual spices, their purpose and usage here Garam Masala. Punjabi garam masala is similar with different combination of spices that gives an authentic flavor to recipes from Punjabi, Delhi and food from that region.

The thing with garam masala is there is no one recipe or a perfect ratio of spices, there are a few spices which are essential and one can add or take out based on your personal liking. I love green cardamom, cumin and cinnamon, so I tend to keep their ratio a little extra so on and so forth.. There is no “secret family recipe” and generally no two batches are the same. I’ve made small batches of garam masala many times with many different recipes and I stick to some steps.

The Basic 5-6 Spices

1. Coriander Seeds(this is optional)
2. Black peppercorns
3. Cumin seeds
4. Cinnamon sticks
5. Green cardamom pods
6. Whole cloves

After these, you’ll often see black cardamom pods, coriander seeds, bay leaves, and/or mace added to make Punjabi Garam Masala. Less common are fennel, star anise, and nutmeg. And even fewer recipes use black cumin, poppy seeds, and dried chilis.

Feel free to play around with the optional spices in small quantities and see what combination you like. There is non set rule here.

Ingredients Use

• Black peppercorns: An essential for garam masala, black pepper lends it heat, warmth and that sharp pepperiness that elevates the flavor of the simplest foods..
• Black cardamom pods: These look like darker and larger versions of the green cardamom. However, unlike green cardamom pods black cardamom is always used whole. Substitute: If you don’t have or can’t find black cardamom, add more of the green cardamom.
• Cumin seeds: Floral, intense and essential in Indian cuisine. If you can find black cumin seeds use it. Also called (shah zeera or kaala zeera)they are darker inn color, slender with a more robust and pungent flavor compared to regular cumin seeds. Simply replace the cumin seeds with 1/2 the amount of black cumin seeds.
• Cinnamon sticks: Another garam masala essential. I prefer using Sri Lankan cinnamon stick, but cassia works well too. Break the cinnamon sticks into small pieces so they toast evenly and easier to grind. 
• Cloves: Another garam masala essential, sweet and intense spice that adds warmth and depth to the blend. A little goes a long way!