Homemade Garam Masala
Fragrant, aromatic and loaded with flavor, this homemade garam masala recipe is an absolute game changer, and is one of the best scratch-made spice mixes you'll ever make. All you need is a few Indian spices and 10 minutes in the kitchen to batch-make this and store it for months!
Use it to add that kick of heat to your goat paya curry, chickpea tikka masala or practically any Indian curry!
After playing around with the quantities of spices quite a few times, I managed to nail just the right proportion of all the ingredients that go into making this classic garam masala spice mix.
Once you give it a try, you'll find yourself using it again and again. And if you're a fan of Indian cooking, don't forget to try my homemade chaat masala recipe too.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
It's simplicity! It barely took me 10 minutes to make the garam masala seasoning from scratch, and I was SO happy! Plus, it's the perfect spice mix to batch make and store for later. I usually make a lot of Indian curries, and having it at hand was a game-changer.
Another plus is the fact that it is an excellent alternative to packaged, store-bought versions of the seasoning. If you love making seasonings from scratch, do check out my homemade lemon pepper seasoning and Furikake seasoning.
Recipe Ingredients
Whole spices: You'll need a mix of whole Indian spices including fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, star anise, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns, mace and nutmeg. You should be able to find these at most food specialty stores near you.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- To add a kick of heat to the garam masala seasoning, you can also dry roast some dried red chilies (with their stems taken off) and grind them along with the other spices.
- Sometimes, when I'm making this in a small batch, I also like to add a small spoon of my Air Fryer ginger powder into it to lend it another layer of flavor.
How to Make Homemade Garam Masala
Step 1: In a pan over low heat, dry roast the spices until aromatic.
Step 2: Take the pan off heat, let the spices cool down and then transfer them to your blender jar.
Step 3: Blend the spices until you get a slightly coarse powder that looks like this.
Step 4: Transfer to a clean and dry glass jar or an airtight container.
💭Top Tip
Keep stirring the spices frequently while you're heating them. This will encourage the aromatic oils to be released and you won't end up with any burned spots.
How to Store the Leftover Garam Masala
Store your leftover garam masala seasoning in a glass jar or an airtight container in a cool and dry place for up to 6 months. Remember to close the lid immediately after you're done using it to keep any moisture from getting in- it will cause the spice to clump up.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Make sure you keep the heat low while dry roasting your spices- you don't want them to get burned.
- Let the spices cool down completely before you grind them. If you grind them immediately, the spice mix will clump and stick to the sides of the blender jar. I realized this when I made my Thai seasoning mix.
- To be extra cautious, you can dry roast the larger whole spices and the smaller seeds separately.
- If the garam masala seasoning seems too pungent and spicy, toast some cumin seeds and coriander seeds, grind them and mix it in.
How to Use Garam Masala Seasoning
Use this garam masala spice mix to add flavor to your curries, meats and grilled foods. It's actually a hero ingredient in my chicken malai tikka recipe. All you need is a pinch or two of this to add that beautiful aroma and kick kick of heat.
And if you're a fan of Indian cooking and keep trying Indian recipes, you may also want to check out my homemade ginger garlic paste and mint coriander chutney, which are absolute staples!
Recipe FAQs
Each of these spices have a specific aroma and flavor to add to the seasoning. I wouldn't recommend skipping any of these, but if you do, you'll still end up with a flavorful and aromatic spice blend.
You absolutely can! Just remember that using whole spices will give you a much better result in terms of flavor!
Yes, you can! Remember that dry roasting is actually beneficial and highly recommended as it helps make the spices aromatic and reduces their pungent flavor.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this homemade garam masala or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Garam Masala
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2-3 cinnamon
- 4-5 cardamom
- 1-2 mace
- 1 nutmeg
- 2-4 star anise
Instructions
- In a pan over low heat, dry roast the spices until aromatic.
- Take the pan off heat, let the spices cool down and then transfer them to your blender jar.
- Blend the spices until you get a slightly coarse powder that looks like this.
- Transfer to a clean and dry glass jar or an airtight container.
Notes
- Keep stirring the spices frequently while you're heating them. This will encourage the aromatic oils to be released and you won't end up with any burned spots.
- Make sure you keep the heat low while dry roasting your spices- you don't want them to get burned.
- Let the spices cool down completely before you grind them. If you grind them immediately, the spice mix will clump and stick to the sides of the blender jar.
- To be extra cautious, you can dry roast the larger whole spices and the smaller seeds separately.
- If the garam masala seasoning seems too pungent and spicy, toast some cumin seeds and coriander seeds, grind them and mix it in.
