Are you looking for a fragrant yet milder version of Garam Masala to use in your Indian recipes? I find that store bought Garam Masala is quite spicy and bitter, and not as fragrant. Garam Masala is a blend of ground spices common in North Indian and is used alone or with other seasonings. The word garam ("hot" in Hindi) refers to intensity of the spices! So I decided to make this recipe instead. Garam Masala can contain a mix of spices and be made differently depending on what region you are from in India. Garam Masala can contain the following spices: black pepper, cumin, coriander, black cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, bay leaf, caraway, cinnamon and/or mace. This recipe is fairly simple and only contains a few ingredients.

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Punjabi Garam Masala [Vegan]

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp black cardamom pods
  • 4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 8 tsp whole cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 4 3″ cinnamon sticks (cassia variety)
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Preparation

  1. Combine ingredients in a coffee grinder.
  2. Pulse until spices are ground and uniform in size.
  3. Store in an air tight container.

Notes

Garam Masala is used in the last 5 minutes of cooking, or sprinkled on dishes after they are cooked so the flavors stay intact.

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