“Garam” means hot and “Masala” in this context means a blend of spices. The spice blend itself is not generally hot. It has black pepper but no cayenne or chili powders. It can however feel hot once you eat some because of the pepper and cloves. The spices together will warm you up from the inside.

Garam masala recipes vary by family recipes, regions, states within India and of course personal preference. There are several regional versions of the spice blend and they have their own names like kashmiri garam masala, goda masala, sambhar powder etc.

This is the basic garam masala to use in Indian curries, stir fries, veggie dishes, dals and more. I have the traditional whole garam masala mix on the blog here. The whole masala stays fresh for much longer. I grind a portion of it and use it for a month or 2 and then grind more. For smaller quantity spice blend, use this quick recipe with ground everyday spices.

Use it in Butter Tofu , Cauliflower Tikka Masala, Masala Pot Pie, lentil sweet potato dal curry. And many more Indian dishes! or add to soups, stews, to veggies to roast, cookies, yes cookies work too.

Curry powder is not the same as garam masala. Get the recipe and Read more about it here.