Recipes - Garam masalasuitable for vegetarians

There are hundreds of recipes for garam masala spice mixtures, and each north Indian family is likely to have had their own. All contain either green (also known as true) cardamom, or the larger black cardamom. Garam masala is a staple spice mix of many savoury dishes.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Makes about 3 tablespoons
1 stick cinnamon, or 2 teaspoons ready-ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Put all ingredients into a blender or grinder and blitz to a powder. This will keep for a few months if stored in a airtight container away from light and heat.

Photograph of garam masala spices ready to be ground using a pestle and mortar