• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Events
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Condiment, Sauce, and Spice Blend Recipes

    Punjabi-Style Warming Spice Blend (Punjabi Garam Masala)

    Published: Mar 31, 2010 · Modified: Sep 2, 2020 by Ashley

    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    I made this spice blend to go use in the recipe I made tonight. It smelled fantastic! The only change I made was to use white cardamom pods instead of black since that's what I had in the kitchen.

    Whole spices in a spice grinder.

    Punjabi-Style Warming Spice Blend (Punjabi Garam Masala)

    Punjabi-Style Warming Spice Blend (Punjabi Garam Masala)
    660 Curries: The Gateway to Indian Cooking - Raghaven Iyer

    Makes about ¼ cup

    1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    1 teaspoon whole cloves
    ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
    ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds from black pods
    3 cinnamon sticks (each 3 inches long), broken into smaller pieces
    3 fresh or dried bay leaves

    1. Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add all the spices and the bay leaves, and toast, shaking the skillet every few seconds, until the coriander and cumin turn reddish brown, the cloves, peppercorns, and cardamom turn ash-black, the cinnamon and bay leaves appear brittle and crinkly, and the mixture is highly fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

    2. Immediately transfer the nutty-smelling spices to a plate to cool. (The longer they sit in the hot skillet, the more likely it is that they will burn, making them bitter and unpalatable.) Once they are cool to the touch, place them in a spice grinder or coffee grinder, and grind until the texture resembles that of finely ground black pepper. (If you don't allow the spices to cool, the ground blend will acquire unwanted moisture from the heat, making the final blend slightly "cakey.") The ground blend will be reddish brown and the aroma will be sweet and complex, very different from that of the pre-toasted and post-toasted whole spices.

    3. Store in a tightly sealed container, away from excess light, heat, and humidity, for up to 2 months. (In my opinion, refrigerating the blend adversely affects its flavor.)

    More Condiment, Sauce, and Spice Blend Recipes

    • Platter with a jar of homemade peanut butter with peanuts scattered around and a spoon resting in a pile of peanut butter.
      Easy Homemade Peanut Butter
    • Collage of recipe images with text that says 21 Favorite Cumin Recipes.
      21 Favorite Cumin Recipes
    • Glass jar filled with layers of spices.
      Homemade Grill Seasoning: The BEST Spice Blend for Meat & Veggies
    • Ingredients for sumac vinaigrette.
      Sumac Vinaigrette: Quick & Easy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angelica

      April 05, 2010 at 5:47 pm

      I am so sick of my coffee grinder from the olden days. I am going out to buy myself a new, electric coffee grinder so I can make this spice blend, first thing tomorrow after work!

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

    More about me →

    Fall Favorites

    • Balsamic Marinated Pork Tenderloin
    • Classic Dutch Apple Pie
    • Gingerbread Pancakes
    • Grandpa's Beef Stew
    • Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
    • Instant Pot Tomato Beef Pasta
    • Spiced Mulled Wine
    • Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

    Easy Side Dishes:

    • Cucumber Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill
    • Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • Maple-Balsamic Roasted Carnival Squash
    • Sheet Pan Green Beans
    • Slow Cooker "Roasted" Beets

    Popular Now

    • Two plates of gingerbread pancakes topped with peppermint whipped cream, crushed peppermint candies, and maple syrup.
      Gingerbread Pancakes with Peppermint Whipped Cream
    • Overhead view of a tray of golden brown homemade garlic bread.
      Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • Collage of images with text that reads, "17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors".
      17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors
    • Collage of images with text that reads 5 of the BEST Restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland Part One.
      Explore Big Flavors in Ocean City, Maryland

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Cooking Classes
    • Events
    • About Ashley
    • Press + Recognition
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up to receive delicious recipes and exclusive content right to your inbox!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you.

    ©2006–2023 BIG FLAVORS FROM A TINY KITCHEN LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    *Third-party advertisers may collect or use non-personally identifiable information to serve you more relevant ads.