Learn how to make garam masala, a blend of ground spices common in Indian cuisine. This homemade version is so inexpensive and ready in less than 5 minutes.

I've been trying to make our sauces and basic ingredients at home, instead of buying them because they're more affordable, sometimes even healthier and also because I'm trying to reduce our plastic waste. Besides, a tiny jar of store-bought garam masala costs 5€ (about $4.30) at my local supermarket, which is really expensive. Homemade garam masala is much cheaper!
Do you know garam masala? It's a blend of ground spices common in cuisines from the Indian subcontinent. I've found so many variations of this recipe, but I've made my own, using what I had on hand. Please feel free to change my recipe according on your personal taste or what you have in your kitchen.
Some people toast the spices before grounding them and others don't. I don't toast them, as I'm always trying to save time in the kitchen and prefer simple recipes, but it's up to you.
Looking for more spice blend recipes? Check out these three must-try recipes: Homemade Chili Powder, Homemade Curry Powder, and Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice. Spice up your cooking with these essential recipes!
looking for more how-to recipes?
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- How to make coconut butter
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- Vegan Whipped Cream
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How To Make Garam Masala
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon cayenne flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Add all the spices to a powerful blender and pulse until they're ground into a powder-like consistency.
- Keep garam masala in a sealed container at room temperature for months or even years.
- Garam masala is used to make many Indian recipes like chana masala.
Notes
- If you can't find an ingredient, just omit it, use a similar one or add more of any other spice of the blend.
- I used ground cumin, ground cinnamon and cayenne flakes, but feel free to use whole spices.
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