Shown here is our first (photographed) effort at making Garam Masala. We generally use this mix in something we’ll call chai … but which is actually just hot soy-milk, this spice blend, & a little sweetener. The quantities shown are what we used in this latest mix; each spice is labeled on the Flickr site, if you follow the link. You can also use this Garam Masala as a spice for black tea, to give you that authentic chai flavor, but with ingredients that you trust.
Laying out the spices like this is actually kind of important, if you want to know what you did, so that you can either duplicate the mix or change it later. In this mix I’ve incorporated slightly more anise-flavored elements, to provide more natural sweetness, and also tried to balance out all of the different flavors, so that you’re not overwhelmed by the cassia / cinnamon.
If you’re using this in a savory dish, you could add onion powder & garlic powder, and perhaps some hot pepper / capsicum. I tend to like the option, though, so leave this powder “plain.” With this mix, I’ll run it through the coffee grinder & then through a fine sieve / strainer, repeating several times until I’m sick of trying to grind dust. I’ll then take the coarse (leftover) bits & put them in one container, and the fine goes into another. We’ll use the coarsely ground pieces in spiced apples or something, as it generally has more of the ginger / cinnamon / allspice bits, which don’t really like to break down.
Note: I tend to avoid using too much of the actual licorice root, because it closely resembles – and behaves like – the hormone aldosterone; aldosterone regulates the body’s salt levels, and playing with that system tends to raise your blood pressure.
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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
I never knew that about licorice root!
you never cease to amaze me! i go to the local market and buy garam masala. i would never think about making it myself! yet you make it look so appealing and fun. the picture alone makes me want to go out and get all the ingredients!
When you order spices in bulk (San Francisco Herb Company), you tend to use them. Buying spices in the supermarket means that you get a bitty little bottle … for the same price that you’d pay for, say, a pound of that same spice online.
And the quality’s much better when you order from a spice importer.
1/4 teaspoon of this masala
1 Tablespoon black currant tea
1 quart boiling water
Steep 5 minutes. Strain. Serve with soymilk.
Fabulous.