Garam Masala

Garam masala from Hindi garam (“hot”) and masala (“mixture”) is a basic blend of ground spices common in Indian and other South Asian cuisines.[1] It is used alone or with other seasonings. The word garam refers to spice intensity, not heat; garam masala is pungent, but not “hot” in the same way as a chili pepper. The composition of garam masala differs regionally, with wide variety across India. Some common ingredients are.

Composition

• Black & white peppercorns.
• Cloves, bay leaves, long pepper (also known as pippali), black cumin (known as shahi jeera)
• Cumin seeds.
• Cinnamon.
• Black, brown, & green cardamom
• Nutmeg,
• Star anise.
• Coriander seeds.

Varying combinations of these and other spices are used in regional variants of garam masala,[1] none of which is considered more authentic than another.