Can an American substitute for garam masala be made?
I love Indian food and have been experimenting with curry recipes, and many of them ask for 'garam masala'. I know it's a spice mix but I can't find it for sale anywhere around me. I've also read that the mix varies from region to region so I'm not even sure what I would order if I wanted to get it online.
I prefer yellow/sweet curries and Indian food (like korma), can anyone recommend a spice blend that is similar, or should I break down and order it on the internet?
Best Answer
Garam masala is a catch-all term for an Indian spice blend. It has no fixed recipe but is likely to contain a combination of cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay, black pepper, star anise, dried chillies, coriander, cumin and maybe more or less. Blends vary according to family tradition and region. Spices are then dried out and possibly roasted, before being ground to dust.
The downside is that if you find garam masala hard to find you may well find the components equally tricky to source. In the UK we are spoiled by a wealth of Indian grocers who stock these ingredients in reasonably-priced quantities. These spices are also readily available in any supermarket due to our historic connection to India.
For a starting point that aims towards the curries that you have specified, I would combine 20g cloves, 50g cardamom seeds, 100g cinnamon sticks, 5 bay leaves, 75g black peppercorns, 100g coriander seeds and 100g cumin seeds. Some toast the seeds in a dry pan but to avoid scorching and to squeeze out all the moisture I use the Heston Blumenthal technique: dry-roast the spices in a very low oven (100C / 212F) for an hour and leave to cool. Blitz to powder in a coffee or spice grinder. I would recommend storing for up to 6 months in an airtight jar to preserve its punch.
Remember this is only a starting point and can be completely customised according to how you like your curries.
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Quick Answer about "Can an American substitute for garam masala be made?"
Mix Individual Spices Although garam masala spice blends have as many as 30+ individual spices, allspice and cumin will add warmth and depth in a similar way. Just measure 1 part cumin with ΒΌ part allspice berries.What can I use in place of garam masala?
Cumin mixed with allspice: This two-part blend makes sense if you think about it. Allspice's flavor is reminiscent of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper\u2014mixed with cumin, that's a pretty darn good garam masala substitute. Just mix 1 part cumin with \xbc part allspice.How do you mimic garam masala?
For each tablespoon of garam masala, try 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons coriander, and a 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. Garam masala spices are usually toasted before they get blended, so you may not get exactly the same smoky flavor from this combination, but in a pinch, it should do just fine.What is the garam masala called in English?
Turmeric powder or cumin seeds or garam masala can be added for different taste. This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license. After the onion turns golden brown, ground spices (turmeric, coriander, red chili powder, "garam masala", etc.)Is curry powder the same as garam masala?
The main difference between garam masala and curry powder is that garam masala has a stronger flavour than curry powder. Garam masala is a common spice blend in Indian cooking. However, curry powder is not an authentic Indian blend; in fact, it is a British invention.GARAM MASALA RECIPE | GARAM MASALA POWDER | HOW TO MAKE GARAM MASALA
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Answer 2
When searching for such things I always have had good luck with Amazon.com. 1500 + results for Garam Marsala in a wondrous variety of brands and quantities.
If there is a particular blend (from an Indian Restaurant) that you favor it never hurts to ask for their recipe (or brand recommendation).
Answer 3
The main constituents of Garam Marsala are cumin, coriander, black pepper, white pepper, chili pepper, paprika, turmeric, capsicum and mustard; roughly in that order. There is no single correct mix. Rather, try making up your own blend. You can always adjust it in the cooking pot by adding more cumin, more chili or something else. As you get more proficient at your curries, you'll build up a idea of how these spices work together and be able to adjust your blend to suit. It really will be a matter of trial and error for a while till you get a mix that works for you.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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