Garam Masala - The Secret to Indian Spices

Garam Masala is perhaps the most popular blend of Indian spices used in several IndianGaram Masala - The Secret to Indian Spicy Food dishes. It is generally used for gravies and Dals to give it that special aroma. It is a actually a combination of various spices and is not a stand alone spice.

There are many variants to Garam Masala depending on the type of dish and part of India that it is used at. The most common Garam Masala is a combination of the cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek seeds, garlic, ginger powder and some more. The blends can be different based on the type of dish Garam Masala is used in. Some of the dishes that one can use Garam Masala with have been listed below.

1.   Pav bhaji - an Indian snack that consists of a vegetable stew prepared by mashing all the vegetables and sautéing it with a bit of butter. The stew is then eaten with a lightly sautéed bread. Garam Masala enhances the flavor of the dish and makes it a delight to eat.

 2.   Green Curry - This is a curry dish that is mainly prepared for fish and chicken dishes. As such, the Garam Masala brings out the flavor of the fish and the various spices that have gone into it.

  1. Tandoori Masala - I am sure that most of you have heard of the Tandoori chicken or the Chicken Tikka. Garam Masala forms an important part of this dish. The spices can be added individually or all together as in the form of the Garam masala. Either way, it is these spices that give Tandoori Masala its unique flavor. You can marinate the meat in the Masala stew and grill it at your leisure. 
  1. Biryani: Garam Masala is also used by some in their Biryanis or flavored rice dishes.

Some of the other dishes that use garam masala have been listed below:

  • Spinach dal
  • Butter chicken
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Chicken Moglai
  • Garam Masala Tofu Scramble
  • Aloo dum
  • Aloo palak
  • Lamb Kebabs
  • Palak paneer
  • Stuffed capsicum

This list is certainly not complete, in fact, does not even get started listing all of the dishes that this versatile masala is used in. Simply put, if you want to give any dish an ‘Indian’ flavor, add a little bit of Garam Masala to it and you should be all set!