Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin

Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin - Overhead Shot of Chana Masala

I love Northern Indian cuisine, but am allergic to cumin. Can anyone suggest a substitute for cumin to use in making garam masala from Northern India?



Best Answer

There seem to be more than a few well known curries that use neither garam masala nor cumin - for example, Camellia Panjabi's "50 great curries of india" (an older vintage but good cookbook IMHO) lists a Rogan Josh and a Safed Murgh Korma meeting this constraint.

Also, "Nadan" style south indian beef curries seem to be commonly cumin-less, and they could fit well together with north indian dishes even while not north indian.

Also, while it is a different flavor, Ajowan (or even Thyme) can go great lengths at creating a "balanced" indian flavor profile where nothing seems missing (it is commonly used as one of defining spices in samosas).




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Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin - Close-up of Chana Masala
Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin - Close-up of Chana Masala
Northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin - Platter of Foods



What is a good substitute for garam masala seasoning?

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.

Is garam masala from North India?

Where did garam masala originate from? The use of garam masala started from the time of Mughal empire who ruled mostly in North India. The spice blend was used in winters only due to the body warming nature of the spices used in it.

Do Indian dishes use cumin?

2. Cumin (Jira) Cumin seed is a spice with a flavour profile a little like caraway or dill, and is a staple of Indian cooking and curries. Generally cumin seeds are best used whole, and fried in oil at the beginning of a dish (the process called taarka).

What spices north Indian?

North Indian Cooking by..Geeta Seth
  • \ufeffs\ufeffpices and herbs are the backbone of Indian cooking. Knowledge of how to use spices and herbs is essential. ...
  • Black pepper (Kali Mirch): ...
  • Cinnamon (Dalchini): ...
  • Cloves (Laung): ...
  • Coriander seeds or powder (Dhania): ...
  • Fennel (Saunf): ...
  • Fenugreek seeds (Methi): ...
  • Tamarind (Imli):




Tasty Garam Masala | ख़ुशबूदार और बेस्ट गरम मसाला रेसिपी ।Homemade Ga




More answers regarding northern Indian Cuisine - Garam Masala Without Cumin

Answer 2

My recommendation is that you simply omit the cumin. Garam Masala, depending on the recipe you follow, has 6-8 other spices in it. Chances are, if you just take out the cumin, you won't notice.

If you try the result and you feel that it's really missing something, then I'd suggest adding fennel seed, black mustard seed, or a second variety of dried chile pepper.

Answer 3

You can try replacing it with dill seeds. However, what exactly is it in cumin that causes your allergy? Find that out and avoid that whole class of spices/plants. I think cumin is from parsley family.

You can try using mustard seed powder instead of cumin and make your "garam' masala.

Also, read this to get more ideas/substitutes http://adventuresinspice.com/flavormap/flavormap.html#cumin

you should also read this thread: What is this fungus/lichen in my Garam Masala? (“Trifle”/truffle?)

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