Friday 27 January 2017

Make Your Own Curry Powder - Garam Masala!



In India most people traditionally have made their own garam masala [what some in the world may call curry powder]. The homemade stuff kills the store bought mix .... as is usually the case with home prepared things.

It's real easy and well worth the time! Spices really make a meal taste fab! - if done right.

For "gm" use whole spices. They are toasted in a frying pan or a toaster over. Listen for when they start to pop. That is a sign they are almost ready.

Then you grind up or pound them to a powder. A coffee grinder can be used. Store them in a jar or freeze if you do a lot. Simple! Add to the food near the end of the cooking process. They can be used in soups, stir fries, dals, omelettes...

There are millions of variations of the spices and the amounts - depending on preferences. Here's a simple combination I have created - partially due to the availability of the spices.

1 part of each of the following seeds:
cumin
hot peppers [depends on how hot they are and how hot you like your food so alter accordingly]
fennel
fenugreek
turmeric [not to be roasted though]
green cardamon [remove pods]
black or brown mustard 

2 parts:
coriander

Keep a record of your mix. After trying a simple one like this one here, it's time to begin experimenting!