Best Garam Masala Recipes

GARAM MASALA SPICE BLEND

Steps:

• Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cloves, and red chile peppers in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Grind the toasted spices in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill to a fine powder. Spoon in the turmeric, and process to combine. Use immediately, or store in a sealed jar for up to 1 month.

GARAM MASALA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken breasts in the hot oil and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the onions; cook another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic salt, and water to the chicken; stir. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala through the mixture. Raise heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook until the chicken no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GARAM MASALA SPICE MIX

Steps:

• Toast the whole spices in a small pan until they are aromatic and have turned a shade or two darker. Don't be tempted to skip this stage, as it really enhances the flavours.
• Tip into a spice grinder (or use a pestle and mortar), then add the ready-ground spices and dried herbs if required, and crush to a fine powder. Store in a sealed jar for up to six months.

GARAM MASALA CHICKEN WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup oil, garam masala, ginger, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt. Place chicken in a large baking dish or plastic bag, loosen the skin from the breast and legs of the chicken and, using your hands, spread a good part of the mixture underneath. Rub the remaining mixture inside the chicken cavity and over the skin. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Loosely cover, refrigerate, and let marinate 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
• Arrange the rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove chicken from marinade, let any excess drip off, and reserve marinade. Let chicken sit at room temperature while oven warms up, about 30 minutes.
• When the oven is heated, place potatoes, squash, and onions in bottom of a roasting pan, drizzle with any remaining marinade, remaining 1/4 cup oil, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and season well freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of vegetables and roast until skin becomes brown and vegetables are starting to get tender, about 1 hour. Brush yogurt on chicken and continue roasting until chicken is well browned, juices run clear when inner thigh is pierced with a knife, legs move easily in the joint, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh registers160 to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about another 40 to 50 minutes. Let chicken rest at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

BASMATI RICE SEASONED WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium stove-to-oven pot melt butter over medium heat.
• Add chopped onions, garlic and garam masala and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring until onions are softened.
• Add rice and stir until well coated.
• Add vegetable stock, salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover and bake in the oven until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Let stand, covered for 5 minutes before serving.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine garam masala, salt, and pepper. Place lamb chops on a baking sheet or platter, and drizzle with oil; rub chops to coat evenly all over. Sprinkle tops of chops with half the spice mixture, and gently rub onto meat. Turn chops over; repeat with remaining spice mixture.
• Grill chops until they reach desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro.

GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• If the roses have stems, break them off and discard. Heat the roses with the cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, whole peppercorns, cloves, and chile in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the cumin becomes brown, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee mill, add the nutmeg and mace, and grind until powder fine. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.

FRENCH CHICKEN LIVER AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette: Mix the vinegar, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Add a little salt and pepper, and whisk in the oil.
• Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
• Pat the livers dry with paper towels, then season on both sides with salt and the garam masala.
• Heat the butter or oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned livers in one layer and let them brown, about 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook 1 minute more, leaving them pink at the center. Remove from heat.
• Dress the beans and tomatoes, if using, with half the vinaigrette, and add a little salt and pepper. Dress the greens with the rest of the vinaigrette, and pile them on a platter or individual plates. Top the greens with the beans, the tomatoes, if using, and the warm chicken livers.

GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, nutmeg, anise pods, cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and mace together in a skillet over medium heat until very fragrant and you can literally see the scent rising into the air, 8 to 12 minutes; remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the spice mixture into a grinder; grind into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

ASIAN PEAR AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH GARAM MASALA SYRUP

Steps:

• Make syrup:
• Bring all syrup ingredients to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour. Pour syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
• Prepare salad:
• Heat a dry heavy 10-inch skillet over moderate heat until hot, then toast pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly, until puffed and beginning to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a plate and season with salt.
• Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then thinly slice lengthwise. Gently toss slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, then gently toss with 1/4 cup syrup.
• Halve pears and core, then thinly slice lengthwise. Toss pear slices with remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup syrup.
• Drain pears, reserving syrup, and arrange slices on 4 plates. Transfer avocado slices to plates with a slotted spoon, discarding syrup. Toss greens with reserved syrup from pears and salt and pepper to taste. Mound greens next to avocado and pear slices and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

CARAMELIZED GARNET YAMS WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Trim the ends of the yams. Rub the yams with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the yams on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until completely soft and cooked through, about 40 to 60 minutes.
• Remove the yams from the oven. Let them cool to room temperature; then place them in the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove the yams from the refrigerator and cut them into 3/4-inch slices. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the pan. While the oil is heating, season the sliced yams on one side with salt, pepper, and half the garam masala.
• Lay the yams in the pan in a single layer, seasoned side down. Season the other side of the yams with salt, pepper, and additional garam masala. Using a fork, turn the yams over and continue to brown the other side. Remove the browned yams to a rimmed baking dish. Repeat with the remaining slices.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F. Drizzle the maple syrup over the browned yams, and dot with the butter. Bake the yams for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the yams from the oven and serve immediately.

COCONUT PORK STEW WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the pork with the cumin, salt, garam masala and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Cover the split peas with boiling water to cover by 2 inches, and let soak overnight. Drain.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 8 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. Add cinnamon stick, garlic and jalapeño. Saute for 5 minutes, until the jalapeño is tender. Add the pork and any juices from the bowl and sauté until lightly browned all over, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, split peas and coconut milk and season with more salt, to taste. The pork should just be covered by liquid. If it's not, add a little water until it is. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
• Once the mixture is simmering briskly, cover Dutch oven, and place in oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until split peas are tender and pork is falling apart and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, prepare the garlic coconut oil: In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds. Once they begin popping, add garlic and chiles, and fry until edges of garlic turn golden brown. Immediately remove pan from heat and reserve. (Do not allow entire garlic cloves to brown or they will taste bitter.)
• Serve warm, drizzled with garlic coconut oil and garnished with chopped cilantro.

GARAM MASALA - AROMATIC KASHMIRI SPICE BLEND FOR SPICY COOKING!

Steps:

• Bash the nutmeg in a plastic bag with a rolling pin to break it into several smaller pieces!
• Remove the seeds from the Cardamom pods - again, a gentle bash with a rolling pin will suffice, or use a pestle and mortar.
• Place all the spices in a dry-frying pan or skillet and heat over a very low heat, stirring constantly.
• As soon as the aroma from the spices is released, remove the pan from the heat. (This step is essential to release the aromatic oils from the spices.).
• Working with only a small quantity at a time, put the spices in an electric blender or coffee grinder and grind them to a fine powder. (Takes about 30 to 40 seconds per handful of spices).
• Allow to cool. Store the Garam Masala in an air-tight container. As long as the container is tightly closed after each use, it should last for about 2 - 3 months with no adverse affects to the flavour and fragrance.
• Use as directed in recipes that call for garam masala.

GARAM MASALA GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Combine oil, garlic, garam masala, mustard seeds, green beans, salt and 1/4 cup water in large skillet.
• Cover, and simmer over medium-low heat 5 minutes, or until beans are just tender.
• Uncover skillet, and increase heat to medium high. Cook 3 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
• Sauté 3 minutes more, until beans start to brown.
• Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and serve.

KASHMIRI GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium heat; add cumin, bay leaves. cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, fennel seed, mace, and cinnamon sticks and dry roast until fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool; add nutmeg. Grind the spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Store in an airtight container.

GARAM MASALA CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium-size pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a cutting board and reserve.
• To the same pot add the garlic, shallots, and carrots and saute until golden. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and reserve. Turn the heat down to medium.
• Melt the butter in the pot, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken stock, and potatoes and cook until potatoes are mostly cooked but still firm, about 8 to 10 minutes. The chicken stock will have thickened to a sauce consistency. Turn off the heat.Chop the chicken into chunks and add the chicken and veggies back to the pot. Stir in the peas, and then the 1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala and 2 teaspoons salt. Ladle the mixture into 4 (10-ounce) oven safe bowls.
• On a flat work suface, dust the puff pastry with flour and roll it out just a little thinner than it comes. Cut the puff pastry in squares large enough to hang over the sides of each bowl. Cover the bowls with the puff pastry pressing down around the sides. Brush with a touch of olive oil and sprinkle with some more garam masala. Cut a slit in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Transfer to the oven and bake until the tops are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

EASY GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Mix cumin, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a bowl. Place mix in an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

GARAM MASALA DEVILED EGGS

Steps:

• Shell eggs, then cut in half lengthwise. Transfer yolks to small bowl and mash with fork. Mix in mayonnaise. Stir in onion, jalapeño, chutney, and garam masala. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon yolk mixture into whites. Top generously with chopped radishes . (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover loosely and refrigerate.)

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• In a bowl soak lentils in water to cover by 2 inches 1 hour and drain in a fine sieve.
• In a 4-quart heavy saucepan cook onions in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Stir in salt and spices and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, water, and broth and simmer until lentils fall apart, about 25 minutes. (Old lentils may take longer to cook.) Let soup cool slightly.
• Transfer soup to a blender in batches and purée (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a bowl. In pan heat soup over moderate heat, stirring, until hot and season with salt of necessary.

RAGHAVAN'S GARAM MASALA

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, in a small, heatproof bowl, stir together coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, bay leaves, dried chiles de arbol, and cinnamon pieces. Sprinkle spices into hot skillet and toast, shaking every few seconds, until coriander and cumin are reddish brown, cinnamon and bay leaves appear brittle and crinkly, chiles are blackened in spots, other spices are slightly ashy black, and the whole thing is highly fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer immediately to bowl.
• When cooled completely, crumble chiles and grind everything in a spice grinder (or a coffee grinder or high-powered blender) to the consistency of finely ground black pepper. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dark place up to 3 months.