Punjabi Garam Masala is a special kind of spice mix that is used in most North Indian recipes. It is made by roasting the spices and grounding them until smooth, which is used in various recipes.
I use grama masala almost for all of my recipes. So I make a big batch of it. And whenever I'm low in quantity, I quickly make it again. Goes great in curries, potatoes, paneer recipes, and many more.
A fresh batch of Garam Masala tastes great in my Chole/ Chickpeas Curry. Also gives a unique taste to Tamarind Chutney. Love it in rajma, dal makhani, or dum aloo
The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks to make Garam Masala. But if you're in a hurry, you can also click "Jump to Recipe' under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card, or you can also click Recipe Card from the Table of Contents below.
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⭐WHAT IS GARAM MASALA?
Garam Masala is a blend of ground spices used explicitly in Indian cuisines. Garam (which means hot) and Masala (a mixture of whole spices) are used alone or with other types of seasonings.
I always keep Garam Masala stored in an airtight container, as it's the main ingredient I use for making Indian recipes. Storing it in an airtight container keeps it fresh and aromatic for longer.
The recipe differs from region to region depending on taste. However, Garam Masala is the main masala used in all or most Punjabi recipes.
I have tried many brands of Garam Masala, but everyone lacks in flavor and freshness. My MIL gave me her Garam masala recipe, which turns out perfect every time with a few additions. I toast them before grinding them to provide a pleasant aroma to the masala.
🥘INGREDIENTS & SUBS
- Coriander Seeds: Also known as Dhaniya Dana. These Coriander Seeds have a lemony citrus flavor. Adding them to curry gives a warm, nutty, and aromatic flavor.
- Cinnamon: Also known as Dalchini. This gives a pleasant aroma and flavoring to various dishes. These are used in sweet as well as savory dishes.
- Black Cardamoms: Also known as Kali or Badi Elaichi. They have a robust and camphor-like flavor, with a smoky flavor by drying them. It gives a nice flavor to the masala, so adding a few to the recipe is more than enough.
- Green Cardamoms: Also known as Hari Elaichi. The green seed pods of the plant are dried, and the seeds inside the pod are used in Indian and other Asian cuisines.
- Cloves: Also known as Laung. Cloves may give an aromatic flavor to hot beverages, often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar.
- Black Peppercorns: Also known as Kali Mirch. It is one of the spices used in almost all cuisines worldwide because of its spicy flavor and is added in Garam masala.
- Cumin Seeds: Also known as Jeera. Cumin seed is used as a spice for its distinctive flavor and aroma. In addition, it provides an earthy flavor to the masala.
- Bay Leaves: Also known as Tej Patta. These aromatic leaves are commonly used in cooking. It can be used whole or as dried and ground.
* See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 HOW TO MAKE PUNJABI GARAM MASALA
* For the full recipe, check the recipe card below, but you refer here for step-by-step photo instructions.
Roast the Spices:
First and foremost is to roast the spices. Then, you can sun dry them by placing them directly in sunlight for 2-3 days. Finally, cover with a muslin cloth or a thin towel to save the spices from dust.
Or you can roast the spices on the stovetop. Place the spices in a cast iron skillet and roast at low heat for 3 minutes. You can also roast it in the oven too. Place the spice on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes in a preheated oven.
Ground the Spices:
Let the spices cool down. Then add them in the Vitamix or a spice grinder. And ground them until a fine powder. You can ground the same spice at one time. But if you have a high-power spice grinder, you can mix and pulse the spices.
You can grind cinnamon sticks together, coriander seeds together, then cumin seeds, and so on. Then mix all the spices and pulse them again until fine.
Storage:
Once all the spices are grounded, add them to a big bowl. Mix all other spices and store them in an airtight container. It stays good for 6-8 months, and use it in curries, lentils, potatoes, and stir-frys.
💭TOP TIPS
- Use fresh spices and not old ones. Fresh spices will make the masala more aromatic and stay good for a longer time.
- Roast the spices before grounding them, as it will enhance the flavor.
- Always store the masala in an airtight container to help maintain the aroma.
- Use a high-speed spice grinder to ground the spices; then, it will be free from big pieces, and the masala will be grounded properly.
- Don't over-roast the spices, as then the masala may turn bitter. Instead, roast for 2-3 minutes just to enhance the flavor.
- You can ground the same variety of spices together to avoid big pieces in the masala.
HOW TO STORE IT?
Once Punjabi Garam Masala is grounded, store it in an airtight container. Masala stays good for 6-8 months in a cool and dry place. For extended use, you can store the masala in the freezer too.
👪HOW TO USE PUNJABI GARAM MASALA IN THE RECIPE?
It depends on the recipe. Some recipes, like chickpeas curry, require more garam masala, while some recipe, like paneer recipes, requires only ¼ teaspoon of it.
But ¼- ½ teaspoon of Garam Masal is enough for most recipes with a serving size of 2-4 people. In addition, Garam Masala will make the curries or lentils more flavorful.
Love to add it to my Indian Chickpea Salad, Matar Chaat, Samosa, Stuffed Bread Pakora, etc.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can make this Spice-Mix by roasting the spices or without roasting them. But when you roast them, the flavors will be elevated, and the masala will be more aromatic. You can roast them in the oven or at low heat on the stove. Then, once the spices cool down, you can grind them finely in the spice grinder.
Both spice mix contains most of the same ingredients, but these spices are still far different. For example, the Curry Powder flavor comes from cumin seeds, fenugreek, and turmeric powder. And Garam Masala flavor is mostly about cloves, cardamom, coriander seeds, and cinnamon, making the masala a little pungent and a more robust flavor.
Adding garam masala at the end of the cooking is best when the food is almost ready.
🥗 RECIPES THAT USE GARAM MASALA
- DAL MAKHANI
- BUTTER PANEER
- PUNJABI DUM ALOO
- TOFU BHURJI
- BAINGAN BHARTA
- SOYA CHUNKS CURRY
- PUNJABI KADHI
- PALAK PANEER
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📖 RECIPE CARD
Punjabi Garam Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Coriander Seeds
- 1.5 Cups Cinnamon
- ⅓ Cup Black Cardamoms
- ¼ Cup Green Cardamoms
- ¼ Cup Cloves
- 1.5 Cups Black Peppercorns
- 2 Cups Cumin Seeds
- 20-30 Bay Leaf
- 4-5 Javitri Javitri (optional)
- 1 Nutmeg grated
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients in a pan on stove-top and toast it for 3-4 minutes, till they are aromatic.
- Add ingredients in a spice grinder in batches and grind it finely. Repeat the process till all the spices are grounded.
- Store in an airtight container, and is good till 6 months.
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