Garam Masala - an Indian spice mix that's great on a variety of food, especially when you are in the mood for something different.

I'm in this limbo place between being tired, but not wanting to go to bed nor feeling like reading at the moment. So, I decided to peruse drafts of posts that I have meant to finish, but never have gotten around to and realized I completely forgot to do this one. I actually thought I had. Not sure how I spaced out on this, but I wanted to be sure to share this spice mix, because it's wonderful and an excellent addition to curries or any dish you want a little extra bang in flavor. I often use this mix in scrambled eggs in the morning, which my daughter always seems to enjoy.

Garam Masala recipes vary depending on the region they come from within India. This particular recipe comes from the cookbook Curry Cuisine, but I think you can have fun experimenting with your own favorite version. The basics ingredients of most garam masala recipes are coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mace, peppercorns and cinnamon.

What You'll Need

 ~ 1⅓ cup

3 tbsp coriander seeds

3 tbsp cumin seeds

20 green cardamom pods

10 cinnamon sticks, 1 in long (cinnamon breaks or cuts with a sharp knife fairly easily)

2 tbsp cloves

10 blades of mace

10 black caramom bods

½ nutmeg

1 tbsp black peppercorns

4 cinnamon leaves or bay leaves

1 tbsp dried rose petals

1 tbsp fennel seeds

Getting Started

1. Over medium-high heat, heat a dry skillet and then add all your spices. Roast them in the pan until they begin to crackle. Stir them until they begin to smell aromatic.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store mixture whole or grind in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle

Enjoy!

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