Punjabi Garam Masala Recipe

Do you love cooking Punjabi food, if yes, this spice blend is a must in your pantry or even otherwise?

You just need little of this Punjabi masala to make the simplest everyday Indian curries taste amazing like this Maa Chole ki Dal or Aloo Baigan.

It is so quick and easy to make your own homemade garam masala spice mix and it's a wonderful way to add flavor to so many dishes.

What is Garam Masala

It is a blend of dried spices that are toasted and then ground together to create a perfectly flavorful seasoning for so many dishes.

Garam means "hot" or "warm" and Masala means "spice mixture" so together it means "Hot Spice Mix ".

You really need a little of this as it's known to raise the body temperatures due to Hot or Garam properties. 

Punjabi garam masala is different than classic garam masala. It doesn't have red chilli peppers, is more aromatics with less heat, and popularly used in North Indian Cooking.

Usually, this spice mix is used on it own or with other spices in Indian cooking.

With so many varieties available in stores, making homemade masala may look onerous but believe me it's not. 

You can make a double batch which will go on for months if kept airtight. And bet once you make this, you won't buy the store-bought versions.

So here is how to make homemade Punjabi garam masala 

Recipe Ingredients

All you need is a few of the Whole Indian spices to make this authentic Punjabi garam masala recipe.

All these spices have their unique flavor, aroma, and nutritional benefits and come together beautifully for this masala.

• Coriander seeds  - also known as dhania. These round, light brown seeds are the dry fruit of the Coriander (cilantro) plant and have a warm, nutty, earthy flavor.
• Cumin seeds - also known as Zeera. These brown seeds have a warm, earthy flavor and bittersweet aroma.
• Green cardamoms - also known as Choti elaichi. These are small green color pods with seeds within. They have a sweet aroma to them and commonly used in many Indian desserts.
• Black cardamoms - known as Badi elaichi. It is bigger than the green cardamom and is black and woody. This spice is not very popular but used widely in north Indian cuisine for savory dishes.
• Bay leaves - also known as Tej Patta is an aromatic leaf-shaped spice. We will use the dry version for this recipe.
• Cinnamon sticks - also known as Dalchini. It is a warm, woody, and earthy in flavor and aroma. Use Ceylon cinnamon and not cassia for this recipe.
• Cloves - also known as Laung.  They are small, reddish-brown spike with a bulbous top. They are very strong and pungent flavor and aroma.
• Mace - also known as Javitri, this crimson red-colored thread-like spice is actually the outer cover of nutmeg. It is spicy with a strong aroma. Little goes a long way.
• Star anise - also known as Chakra Phool. This star-shaped spice is very aromatic and mainly used in Biryani.
• Fennel seeds - also known as saunf. These seeds are slightly sweet with a licorice-like taste.
• Black peppercorns  - also known as Kali Mirch. These black round spice has been sharp, woody aroma, and is hot.

Step by Step Instructions

Clean and inspect the spices if they look spoilt or have any stone, husks, and discard them.

1 - In a heavy bottom pan dry roast the spices on medium heat until warm and fragrant. Do not roast the black cardamom as it makes it bitter. I just add them at the end after switching off the heat.

2 - Allow to cool completely and then grind them into a fine powder using a spice/coffee grinder/blender. Depending on your grinder size you may have to do this in batches.

3 - Sift the powdered spices and you may get a residue that you can grind again and sift. Or use this residue for your sabzis/dals.

4 - Cool completely and store it in airtight container in cool dry space and use as required. You can also store it in refrigerator or freezer for longer use.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Use good quality fresh spices (not old ones) as they are the main ingredients for this recipe. 
• You can either sun dry them or roast in a pan or oven.
• Roasting is recommended as it makes the powder fragrant and also grinding easier. 
• Do not roast the black cardamom as it makes it bitter.
• You can roast all spices together like I did or individually.
• Do not to over roast the spices which might make them bitter and give a darker color. 
• The garam masala powder color may vary slightly based on the quality of spices and the roasting time. 
• Store in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container to keep it fresh and aromatic for longer use.

Frequently Asked Questions