Garam Masala - The King of Indian Spices

Garam masala is a unique blend of some of the major Indian spices, which in turn is used in several dishes. The term garam means “hot” in hindi and true to its name, Garam Masala lends that hot spicy taste to several Indian dishes. The dishes require the spices but instead of having to add the spices one by one, you get to add them all at one go. This spice mixture is not a stand alone spice but a combination of some of the spices that are mostly native to India. There are many variants that go under the same name tag but in the end, they are all a combo of cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek seeds, garlic, ginger powder and some more of the Indian spices. This mixture is often added to gravies and dals to give it that ‘Indian flavor’. The garam masala is blended differently in various parts of the country but they all have one thing in common, they all make the food stand out with their special flavor. Some of the dishes that use Garam Masala have been listed below.

1. Pav bhaji
2. Green Curry
3. Tandoori Masala
4. Biryani
5. Spinach dal
6. Butter chicken
7. Chicken Masala
8. Chicken Tikka
9. Chicken Moglai
10. Garam Masala Tofu Scramble
11. Aloo dum
12. Aloo palak
13. Lamb Kebabs
14. Palak paneer
15. Stuffed capsicum
This is not the complete list of all the dishes that use the erstwhile garam masala, the list is more like an introduction. Anyway, to add that special Indian flavor to any dish, just add a pinch of the garam masala and that should do it. You can buy a box of Garam Masala at any local Indian store or at any of the hundreds of online stores that sell this spice, including Amazon.com.

Jitu Patel owns and operates India Oven Restaurant in Las Vegas. Visit Indian Recipes and Articles for more spicy articles.