Garam Masala

4 tsp Khus-khus (gasa-gasa)
10- 12 Cloves (lavangam)
10- 12 Cardamons (elachi)
2 tsp Coriander seeds (dhania)
2 " Cinnamon stick (dalchani chakka)
Couple Black Pepper
Nutmeg
2 Red Chilies
1 tsp Jeera

5 - 6 Garlic pods
2" Ginger
1/4 cup grated Coconut

Garam Masala is a blend of spices. Most of the spices are dry roasted to bring out the flavor.

The pungency/aroma of the garam masala comes from the heat giving ingredients like cloves and black peppercorn.

Dry roast all dry spices in a heated skillet over medium heat until the spices emit a toasty aroma.

Let cool. Grind to a powder in a spice mill or blender. Stir in the nutmeg and saffron to the powder.

Grind ginger, garlic and coconut to a smooth paste.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or in a Ziploc bag to retain its freshness and aroma.

Mixture of the above powder and ginger-garlic-coconut paste is whole masala. But since we use ginger-garlic paste during frying while cooking, when we say garam masala it is just the dry powder of the spices.