Garam Masala

I have recently begun branching out to "Indian" flavors and combinations, I love the new food network star Aarti Sequira. She has great ideas for changing up common foods with Indian enhancements. However in my branching out I discovered that my local food stores do not stock the real Indian spice mix of Garam Masala. Here is the spice blend I have taken to using. You might as well mix up a double or triple batch and store it in a labeled container.

4 tbsps coriander seeds

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 ½ tsps black cumin seeds (shahjeera)

1 ½ tsps dry ginger

¾ tsp black cardamom (3-4 large pods approx)

¾ tsp cloves

¾ tsp cinnamon (2 X 1” pieces)

¾ tsp crushed bay leaves

Heat a heavy skillet on a medium flame and gently roast all ingredients (leave cardamom in its pods till later) except the dry ginger, till they turn a few shades darker. Stir occasionally. Do not be tempted to speed up the process by turning up the heat as the spices will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.

When the spices are roasted turn off the heat and allow them to cool.

Once cooled, remove the cardamom seeds from their skins and mix them back with all the other roasted spices.

Grind them all together, to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder or spice grinder

Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.