High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Garam Masala
Checking the label on a store-bought spice blend can be a surprisingly frustrating experience — fillers, anti-caking agents, and sweeteners have a way of sneaking into products you'd never expect. Making your own warm spice blend from scratch sidesteps all of that completely, leaving you with nothing but whole seeds, pods, and bark that you can see and trust. The process starts with a quick dry toast in a skillet, which coaxes out the deep, aromatic oils in the coriander, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom before they're ground into a fine powder. That toasting step is what separates a truly fragrant homemade blend from anything you'd pull off a grocery shelf. A touch of freshly grated nutmeg added at the grinding stage rounds out the warmth beautifully. Once strained and sealed in an airtight jar, this blend holds its potency for up to three months — ready to elevate curries, roasted vegetables, marinades, or anything else that calls for a little complexity.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ tsp fennel seeds (optional)
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- 1
Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and fennel seeds (if using) in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until the spices are fragrant and the coriander seeds turn a shade darker, about 3–4 minutes. Watch closely — the cloves and cardamom can scorch quickly.
- 2
Transfer the toasted spices to a plate and let them cool completely, about 5 minutes, so residual heat does not create steam in the grinder.
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