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A small glass jar of homemade spicy garam masala and a dish of the brown spice blend, surrounded by a cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and dried red chilies on a wooden pantry shelf
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Spicy Garam Masala

A homemade garam masala with toasted whole spices and dried red chilies, so you can make this warming Indian blend as mild or as fiery as you like.
Course Seasoning
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Chile de Arbol, Guajillo Pepper
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 tablespoons
Calories 22kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 dried red chili peppers seeds removed*
  • 2 cinnamon sticks 3 inches long
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tablespoon green cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon black cardamom seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon cloves
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground, or freshly grated

Instructions

  • In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast all ingredients separately, except the nutmeg. Each should be toasted for approximately 60 seconds, or until fragrant.
  • Let the toasted spices cool for a few minutes. Then, using a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder), grind them into a fine powder.
  • Add the nutmeg and stir to combine all the spices.
  • Use immediately, or seal in a jar for future use.

Notes

*You can use various dried red chili peppers, based on your heat preference. There are multiple options available, but some options include dried guajillo (mild), dried chile de árbol (medium), or dried Tien Tsin peppers (extra-hot).
Garam masala is usually added at the end of cooking, since long cooking dulls its aroma.

Nutrition

Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg