Garam Masala

• 2 parts bay or curry leaves (2 grams)
• 4 parts black pepper (4 grams)
• 3 parts cardamom (3 grams)
• 4 parts cinnamon (4 grams)
• 2 parts cloves (2 grams)
• 1 part  coriander seed (1 gram)
• 2 parts cumin (2 grams)

All the spices should be ground. Grind up the bay leaves before blending with the other spices.

Before using, rock the jar in your hands to to ensure the spices are evenly mixed.

Yield: 18 grams, enough to fill half a typical spice jar

Recipe Delights

Curry leaves resemble bay leaves in appearance only. Curry leaves have a toasty aroma with no sweetness. The more familiar bay leaf has a sweetish quality not found in curry leaves. When dried, curry leaves lose a lot of their scent but, nevertheless, are good for balancing the other flavors in garam masala.

Below is the recipe translated into volume for those who lack a kitchen scale. The result should be pretty close to the version above and yield about the same amount.

Garam Masala

• 1 generous tablespoon bay or curry leaves
•      1 3/4 teaspoons  black pepper
•        1/2 tablespoon cardamom
•        1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
•        7/8 teaspoon   cloves
•        5/8 teaspoon   coriander seed
•          1 teaspoon   cumin

All the spices should be ground. Grind up the bay leaves before blending with the other spices.

Before using, rock the jar in your hands to to ensure the spices are evenly mixed.

Yield: 3 1/2 tablespoons

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