Garam Masala Recipe

How to make it

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• Crush 4 black and 2 green cardamom pods with the back of a spoon or spatula until they split. Collect the seeds from the pods with your fingers and discard the empty pods.
• Grate one or two fresh cloves of fresh nutmeg, just enough to make about a tablespoon.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add 1 tsp of whole cloves, 3 or 4 bay leaves, the seeds of 2 green cardamoms and the seeds of 4 black cardamoms, 12 black peppercorns and break up the cassia bark into the pan.
• Stir for about 30 seconds. This will release the aromas within the spices.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and add the grated nutmeg. Since the nutmeg is already ground, it will burn easily if the pan is too hot. Stir slowly and constantly to keep from burning. The nutmeg will begin to brown.
• Add contents of the pan to a spice grinder. If you don't have a spice grinder, a mortar and pestle or a clean coffee grinder will do, but a spice grinder will give a finer consistency and texture.
• Grind the mixture to a fairly smooth powder.
• Check to see if the spices are fully ground after grinding for about 30 seconds. Continue grinding and checking until the powder is fine.
• Store your freshly made garam masala in an airtight container and it will keep for 3 to 6 months.