Regional blends
Garam masala
The 'warming' finishing blend of the north, built on cardamom, cinnamon, clove and cumin.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for cooks, makers and the curious.
Garam masala is a ground blend of dried, aromatic spices used across North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Garam means warm or heating in the traditional sense of food, not hot with chilli. Every family and maker has its own version, so no recipe is the standard.
What goes in
- Cumin425%, Earthy base.
- Coriander seed425%, Light citrus body.
- Black pepper319%, Gentle heat.
- Green cardamom213%, Sweet perfume.
- Cinnamon or cassia213%, Warm sweetness.
- Clove16%, Strong and used sparingly.
Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.
Made step by step
Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.
Step 1: Dry Pick over the whole spices and discard any dust or stems. Step 2: Toast Toast each spice separately in a dry pan over low heat until fragrant. Step 3: Rest Spread the toasted spices on a plate and let them cool fully. Step 4: Grind Grind in small batches to a fine powder. Step 5: Blend Blend the powders in the chosen ratio and sieve if desired. Step 6: Store Store in a small airtight jar away from light and use within a few months. Finished Garam masala, by share.
How it is used
It is usually added near the end of cooking, or sprinkled over a finished dish, because its aroma fades with long heat. Some cooks also add whole spices at the start and the ground blend at the end. It appears in lentils, meat and vegetable curries, and rice dishes.
What goes in
Common parts are green or black cardamom, cinnamon or cassia, clove, black pepper, cumin and coriander seed, with bay leaf, mace, nutmeg or star anise in some houses. Proportions vary by family and maker, and shops sell very different mixes under the same name.
Where it is used
The spices in it
CardamomMain aromatic.
ClovePungent warmth.
CuminEarthy base.
CorianderThe leaves and dried seeds of an annual Mediterranean herb used in cuisines worldwide.
Black pepperThe dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.
CinnamonThe dried inner bark of Cinnamomum trees, prized for its sweet warmth and essential oil.More on EveryMasala
No spices here yet. New pages are added every day.
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Clove: Bayu Nugroho, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cinnamon: Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cumin: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cardamom: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Coriander: Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Black pepper: David Monniaux, CC BY-SA 3.0, source