Garam Masala

Spices have always been the essence of Indian cuisine with the famous garam masala crowning the list. Literally meaning "hot mixture", it is a wonderful blend of the most aromatic and flavorful Indian spices, and is used not only in India but in many Asian countries and even worldwide.

Although garam masala components may vary, a traditional mix is based on cinnamon, cloves, cumin, nutmeg and cardamom. In addition to that, it may include dried red chilies, black peppercorns, coriander, ginger powder, bay leaves, mace, fennel, fenugreek seeds, and dried garlic. There is really no best recipe for it, as every particular blend has its own special flavor and may or may not be preferred by each individual cook.
Various ready-made blends are available nowadays, but most Indian households still prefer home-made blend for its incomparable aroma, which is often lost in commercially produced product. The recipe is not difficult provided you have all the ingredients.
In traditional garam masala preparation you have to roast all the spices except for cardamom and ginger until they become a few shades darker. It is important not to try and speed up the process as all the ingredients should be roasted evenly and not burnt. After the roasted spices are cooled, you can add cardamom seeds and ginger powder if you are using it in the recipe. The last step is to grind all the spices together into fine powder (work with small quantities every time to achieve better result).
Garam masala should be stored in an air-tight container, preferably in a cool and dry place - this will assure that it stays fresh for longer. Normally, it should last up to 6 months after which it tends to lose its distinctive flavor.
Drastic temperature change and wrong packaging can affect the properties of garam masala. Therefore, prepared mixes available in stores often lack that fragrance and taste it is supposed to give. One more drawback of commercially produced blends is that there is no possibility to check how old the spices are and if they were handled properly. Also, coriander powder is often added in large quantities as a filler to replace more expensive spices in garam masala blend.
As for cooking, the best thing about it is that you can't really go wrong with it. If used sparingly, it can enhance the taste and smell of almost any dish - both meat and vegetarian. Add it to sauces and gravies (curries), stewed vegetables, various marinades, stuffing mixes and meat dishes. It will add that exotic taste to any dish, not only Indian fare.
Unlike many other spices, garam masala is best to be added at the end of cooking to preserve its aroma to the fullest. Although it has the word "hot" in its name, it is not that hot as chilies, for example; its taste is rather pungent and it usually goes well with people who normally can't eat too spicy food.
The properties of spices garam masala consists of are very well known in Eastern alternative healing practices and have been used to promote well-being for centuries. Being a stimulant, garam masala helps in good digestion and also works as a powerful antioxidant - one more reason to add the exotic blend to your kitchen spice shelf.