Garam masala powder, easy homemade garam masala powder recipe with step by step photos. It's so handy and double the flavor.

Spice mix
Garam means 'Hot' in Hindi and masala means 'spice mix'. So pretty much you would have concluded this spice powder is a mixture of various Indian spices to jazz up your curry, sabzi or dal, vegetables preparation.
It is widely used through out India in all the preparations in everyday cooking.
Why Homemade is best
I have never thought before on making my own garam masala. But things changed when I saw this recipe in a library book I borrowed, it was so simple to try. And I tried. I am glad that I tried.
Because now a days a lot more aroma in my dishes. I am not sure about the recipe if it is authentic, but I can assure you, this smells great and if added in place of store bought masala, it does a magic😊.
From a home where they say No to garam masala, to making my own garam masala powder at home now 🙄
Variations
Actually, the spices used in garam masala varies with the region. From state to state, even the one we get from Malaysia might be so different from the Indian ones.
So there is no hard fast rules when it comes to ingerdients keeping certain spices as main ingredients.
Cardamom (green or black), clove, cinnamon, biryani leaf, red chillies, coriander, cumin, black pepper and fennel are the main ingredients. Others can be added in traces accordingly. Mine is the simplest one you can make at home with ingredients easily available.
I used kali mirch (black pepper) in this recipe. In case you are using red chilli, the color may vary slightly according to the red chilli variety you use. Kashmiri or Baydgi chilli may give reddish color while others will result in brownish hue.
Related posts
Recipe card
homemade garam masala powder recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoon Cardamom
- 2 tablespoon Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Cloves
- 1 tablespoon Fennel seeds
- 3 Star anise
- 4 Cinnamon 1 inch each
- ¼ Nutmeg
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Dry roast over medium flame with constant stirring to ensure even roasting.
- Cool down and powder it well in a mixer.
- Sieve it through a big metal strainer to make sure to eliminate any big pieces.
Notes
- The color depends upon the ingredients color you use. But since we do not use red chilli in this, the color will be on brown shade.
- Since the flavors are string, we may need only less in places where we use the store bought ones.
Step by step photos
1. Gather all the ingredients. Dry roast over medium flame with constant stirring to ensure even roasting.
2. Cool down and powder it well in a mixer.
3. Sieve it through a big metal strainer to make sure to eliminate any big pieces.
Store in an airtight container and use it for all your garam masala needs in your kitchen.
Divya Kudua
Homemade Garam masala has an absolutely wonderful aroma which no store bought can match.I make mine at home too,or rather,amma makes a big batch and I use it:)
Babitha costa
lovely clicks,
Nagalakshmi V
I have never thought of making my own either. Just keep using MDH which I like. Haven't even tried other brands 🙂
APARNARAJESHKUMAR
i have never tried this 🙂 so colourful
Sangeetha Nambi
Wow !! Perfect spicy powder with wonderful clicks....
http://recipe-excavator.blogspot.com
Sudha Sabarish
Nice post,i also want to try.
Lavi Raj
Love the ingredients pic so much! It makes easy to remember!
Priya Senthil
thank u for this wonderful recipe .. and the jar for the powder was a perfect one 🙂
Veena Theagarajan
good back to basic recipe
Nandita SS
Even I make garam masala at home!!! Yours looks very aromatic. Lovely post Raji 🙂
Bindu
Now this is what i call telepathy... just yesterday while making dinner i thought to myself.. wish i had the recipe for a home-made garam masala... since the one i have hardly has any aroma to it.... and TADA.. here comes the recipe from U... Thanks Raji.. will definitely try it out!!
RENU
it looks awesome.
Nivedhanams Sowmya
Such an informative and helpful post!! nicely done Raji
Sowmya
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S.Menaga
Nice post,thxs for sharing!!
gomathi
Love your Blog ya.Brilliant Photography.
Anu
Nice clicks in aromatic masala.
Sanctified Spaces
Superbly done Raji.
Hema
That spice jar looks so cool, well done post..
Mahi
Home made powders are always flavourful and enhances the taste of the dishes! Nice post Raji!
/From a home where they say No to garam masala, to making my own garam masala powder at home now// Yes, Its amazing you know!:) Because one of my friend here sees "Biriyani" as a வேற்று கிரக சாப்பாடு! 😉 her hubby is a strict vegetarian(no garlic-no onion - no hing!)..whenever any of us call them for dinner, will break our heads thinking what to cook for him! 😉 :))
Priya
I too love this homemade spice powder, looks wonderful
Manju
How u manage to make even a simple garama masala powder look so good is beyond me!
I love your website, I'm a subscriber my email, so I get to read all your posts. I tried your Kaju Katli for Diwali and it came out perfect. I've posted it on my blog, if you'd like to see.
Keep up the great work and I'm always excited when a new post from your blog arrives in my mail. Each one is worth a read and drooling over 🙂
Regards,
Manju
http://manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com/
decafTwithspice
Loved it. I also add pinch saffron, quater nutmeg and few methi seeds
Sangeetha
haven't tried this spice powder at home...will try it sometime..very pretty jar 🙂
raaji
definitely would love to try it
Aruna Manikandan
haven't tried it so far..
very neatly explained..
pretty clicks 🙂
Annapoorani
I make it the same way 🙂
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Sharmilee! :)
Looks so flavourful...love the ing list pic!
Unknown
lovely receipe..
mui mui
Hi Raji,
I was googling to see what is in garam masala and I found your site.
Oh! Your site is wonderful . Pictures are great!
Thanks for sharing:)
mui
Nalini Molugu
Wow. This is a lovely recipe for garam masala.
Definitely will try it out this time.
Pictures are soooo gud.
uma ex-comilona
Hi! Which kind of mixer have you used?
Dark Unicorn
Lovely recipe, and awesome pictures! What typography are you using for the label names on the pictures? 🙂
Asha Shivakumar
really like your recipe for garama masala, could I link your recipe in my blog?
Raks anand
Panasonic mixer
Raks anand
Panasonic
suga guru
I make it in the sameway it came out gud aroma thank u.
KHATY
Thanks a lot. Its very helpful. With the picture to make perfect.
KHATY
Thanks, really helped. The picture is very helpfull.
suja m
Thanks for the post rak. can't wait to do homemade garam masala.
my doubt is it tsp or tbsp for cloves and elachi. It looks very little in the picture (kadai). When i have tbsp it was lot. just to make sure.
suja m
Can't wait to do homemade garam masala. Thanks for the post rak.
My doubt : elachi/cloves is in tsp or tbsp. In the pic it looks very little (kadai) . when i added 2 tbsp it was lot.
I.V.N.S.S PAVANI
Thanks Now my Curries are most flavoured ones 🙂
I.V.N.S.S PAVANI
Thankyew,now all my Curries are most tastier with this Garam masala powder 🙂
Abeesh Thomas
is it good to add ginger garlic paste in making garam masala?
Anonymous
This in awesome blend for Garam Masala. I made it with my girlfriend 3 weeks ago and have been using it in everything , not just indian dishes but american and mexican dishes. Curried Chicken salad, omelets, black beans and sweet potatos, enchiladas...etc. Very universal blend. 5 STARS!
Thamarai
I tried this yday and just thought I would add my feedback. I found the cloves to be way too much for my liking. Esp after roasting the spices the flavor was so strong, that the dal I made with a spoon of the masala burned my lips. So I tried again by adding just 4-5 cloves and it worked out just great for us. The rajma I made today was a huge hit with my family (I made this the new batch of masala after drastically reducing the cloves quantity). Thank you so much for the recipe Raks. 90% of the recipes I have tried out from your site have worked out well for me. So if I need a recipe these days I come to your site first and if I can't find it, I go elsewhere.. Keep up the effort please.. this is just awesom work.
SK
Rajjjjiiiiiii !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks a ton for this aromatic Garam masala powder. I just made this powder and my entire house filled with this aroma. Like you said, i don't know if its authentic or not but i just love it. I can't wait to use this to make my chicken curry tomorrow. Keep up the great work.
Priya
Thanks for this GM recipe... I was searching for a simple one and got this recipe. Going to make right now..
Gern Blenstein
I like your recipe. Butt you should point out that the bay leaves you use and have pictured here are not the bay leaves most Westerners know. When we say bay leaves we mean bay laurel. What you have pictured here are Indian bay leaves or Tej Patta. These are leaves of the cinnamon tree and very different in terms of the flavor of the masala.
Unknown
Why do you omit cumin? Was that an accident or intentional?
Raks anand
The recipe i referred was without cumin. So i never knew it.
Raveesh Kutty
Hi, I'm new to ur blog and this is the first one that I tried from ur recipes. I have tried making this garam masala powder and it came out really well. Thanks for sharing..
Raveesh Kutty
Hi, I'm new to ur blog and this is the first one I have tried from ur recipes. Homemade garam masala powder came out really well. It was easy and tasty. Thanks for sharing.. ☺
Raks anand
Thanks a lot for your feedback 🙂
SJR
Made it today and it turned out superb
Raks Anand
thank you for your feedback 🙂
sangita
hi,
howcome there is no jeera cumin in your garam masala,
some dont put corainder, only cumin..?
Rice in sambar masala< is there a reason as never heard of it before
pls assist
sangita
Raks Anand
There are different recipes for Garam masala, if you want, you can sure add. 1 tablespoon of Cumin seeds for this recipe will be enough.
We add a very small amount of rice in sambar masala. It is for thickening purpose.