Substitution for curry powder

You can use garam masala to make curry, but it doesn't contain everything needed for a typical curry. Other ingredients are required.

Garam masala typically contains cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, and mace (the outer casing of nutmeg). It's a basic spice mix often used in Indian cuisine.

To turn it into a curry, you really also need to fry some garlic, ginger, and chilli at the very least. Also, the yellow colour in western style curry powders is turmeric. Don't forget to add some salt too!

1. Garam Masala and Allspice are two completely different things, per the links in this sentence.
2. Garam Masala is often used in curries, usually as a finishing spice. However, it is not a substitute for the stronger spices needed earlier in most curry dishes, such as the ones in common "curry powder". Particularly, garam masala usually contains neither turmeric nor hot peppers, two seasonings which are generally considered essential for most "Indian curry" dishes.