What is Garam Masala – various styles & health benefits

Garam Masala which literally means hot (Garam) spice (Masala) This special blend of spice is used in a small quantity at the end of cooking or fried in the beginning of cooking to add a delicate flavor to the cooked dish. Some common ingredients are 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, mace, star anise and coriander seeds. To make garam masala, you need to grind the spices together and put the mixture on a hot griddle to toast. After the toast, the spice mixture is used immediately. The leftovers will then be kept in a sealed container for a maximum of six months.

Styles of Garam Masala: Taste changes depending on the region and the personal taste. Some of different styles have been listed below:

1.     Rajasthani Style :

3dried whole chillli pods

4black cardamom pods

1⅓cups (160g)cumins seeds,

1½ cup(40g)coriander seeds

1 teaspoon (5 ml)ajwain seeds

 2.     Delhi Style :

⅓ cup (35g) whole cloves.

Five 3-inch (7.5 cm) cinnamon sticks

½ cup (50 g) green cardamom pods

1 cup (120g) cumin seeds

¾ cup (55 g) coriander seeds

3.     Maharashtra style:

4 dried whole chilli pods

2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame seeds

1 ½ tablespoons (22ml) green peppercorn

1 ½ tablespoons (22ml) white peppercorn

1 ¼ cup (30 g) whole cloves

Four 3 –inch (7.5 cm) cinnamon sticks

22 black cardamom pods

⅔ cup (80 g) cumin seeds

¼ cup (20g) coriander seeds

2 cassia or bay leaves

1 teaspoon (5ml) ground ginger

2 tablespoons (30 ml) ground nutmeg

4.     Uttar Pradesh style:

3 dried whole chilli pods

2 tablespoons (30ml) pomegranate seeds

⅛ Teaspoon (0.5 ml) saffron threads

5 cloves of mace

2 tablespoons (30ml) green peppercorns

2 teaspoons (30ml) black peppercorns

2 teaspoons (30ml) whole cloves

⅓ cup (40 g) cumin seeds

⅔ cup (50 g) coriander seeds

1 tablespoons (15 ml) fennel seeds

2 cassia or bay leaves

1 tablespoons (15 ml) ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons (30 ml) white peppercorns

5.     Punjabi style:

6 cloves of mace

¼ cup (35 g) black peppercorns

3 tablespoons (45 ml) whole cloves

Four 3- inch (7.5 cm) cinnamon sticks

⅓ cup (30 g) green cardamom pods

½ cup (65 g) cumin seeds

⅔ cup (50g) coriander seeds

½ teaspoon (2 ml) ajwain seeds

½ teaspoons (2 ml) ground ginger

2 tablespoons (30 ml) ground nutmeg

2 cassia or bay leaves

6.     Bengali styles :

3-4 dried whole chilli pods

3 tablespoons (45 ml) sesame seeds

2 table spoons (30 ml) green peppercorns

2 tablespoons (30 ml) black peppercorns

2 tablespoons (30 ml) white peppercorns

1 tablespoons (15 ml) whole clove

Three 3 – inch (7.5 cm) cinnamon sticks

20 green cardamom pods

¼ cup (35 g) cumin seeds

¾ cup (55 g) coriander seeds

3 cassia or bay leaves

1 teaspoons (5 ml) ground ginger

7.     Gujarati styles :

3 table spoons (45 ml ) grated coconut

1 tablespoons (15 ml) sesame seeds

2 table spoons (30 ml ) black mustard seeds

¼ teaspoons (1 ml) saffron threads

¼ cup (15 g) green peppercorns

¼ cup (15 g) white peppercorns

⅔ cup (60 g) green cardamom pods

¾ cup ( 95 g) cumin seeds

¼ cup (25 g) ground nutmeg

Health benefits of spices in Garam Masala :

Asafoetida (Hing): A good therapy for whooping cough and stomach ache caused due to gas.

Bay leaf (Tez Patta): Bay leaf oil possesses antifungal and anti bacteria

Cardamom (Elaichi): It helps to control bad breath and digestive disorder. A whole cardamom chewed is good for cope with diabetes.

Chilli (Lal Mirch): The antioxidants present in chilli help to cope with cholesterol and  burn calories

Cinnamon (Dalchini):  It supports natural production of insulin and reduces blood cholesterol .

Clove (Laung): Clove oil is beneficial for coping with tooth ache and sore gums. It is also beneficial remedy for chest pains, fever, and digestive problems.

Coriander (Dhaniya): It can be used externally on aching joints and rheumatism. It is also good for coping with soar throat, allergies, hay fever etc.

Cumin (Zeera): It is a good source or iron and keeps immune system healthy. Water boiled with cumin seeds is good for coping with dysentery.

Curry leaves(Curry Patta): These leaves are beneficial for reducing blood sugar.

Fenugreek (Methi):      Fenugreek seed tea or sweet fudge is good for increasing breast milk. It’s very useful for  the treatment of diabetes and lowering cholesterol.

Garlic (Lassan): It is useful for coping with cough and cold. It also has antibiotic properties.

Ginger (Adrak): Helps to avoid digestive problems.

Mustard (Rye): Mustard oil is good for body massage and even for getting good hair.

Nutmeg (Jaiphal): It is beneficial for the treatments of asthma, heart disorder and bad breath.

Pepper (Kaali Mirch): It helps coping with cold, cough, infections etc. It helps to deal with muscle pains and digestive problems.

Saffron (Zaffran/Kesar): It helps to cope with skin diseases. It is a good remedy for cough, cold and asthma.

Star anise (Chakra Phool): Star anise oil is beneficial for rheumatism.

Turmeric powder:  beneficial for healing cuts and wounds.

Add life to your cooked dishes with a tint of Garam Masala: 

• Garam masala can be added to a curries, vegetable dishes, soups, or stews toward the end of cooking or sprinkled over the surface just before serving.
• Used  in range of food as per the recipe such as in Roghan josh, chicken kurma, dal makhani, etc.
• Garam masala can be also added to season fish curry, chicken masala and in the marinade for mutton.

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