Homemade Garam Masala

A close-up view of a small glass jar filled with freshly ground garam masala next to a cutting board topped with various spices.

Course: Spice

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 43kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Homemade Garam Masala will take your favorite Indian dishes to the next level. Most of the spices and aromatics can be found in the gourmet spice section of many well-stocked supermarket, or online. Once you make this from scratch, you'll never want the store-bought variety again!

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 Large skillet
spice grinder we use an old coffee grinder

Ingredients

¼ cup green cardamom pods
3 bay leaves
3 whole star anise optional
5 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
½ cup coriander seeds
¼ cup cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cardamom, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and black peppercorns. Roast until very aromatic and slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large platter.
¼ cup green cardamom pods, 3 bay leaves, 3 whole star anise, 5 cinnamon sticks, 2 tablespoon whole cloves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Add the coriander seeds to the same skillet over medium heat and roast until aromatic and slightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the platter.
½ cup coriander seeds
Add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds to the same skillet over medium heat and roast until aromatic and slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the platter.
¼ cup cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
Before transferring the spices to your spice grinder, you may need to cut the bay leaves in half and snap the cinnamon sticks in half. Use a large spoon to transfer the toasted spices and aromatics to a spice grinder (this may need to be done in 2 batches). Grind for about 1 minute. Check for any pieces that didn't get ground. Grind again. Discard any large pieces (cinnamon). Transfer to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool place.

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The garam masala has a shelf life of many months. However, after a couple of months, some of the flavors will lessen. Be sure to keep it in a cool place and in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Nutrition