Garam masala/Biryani masala/Masala chai mix

INGREDIENTS

3 Medium-sized lichen pieces 1 Bay leaf 2 Tsp fennel seeds 2 Star anise flowers 8-10 Green cardamom 3 Large cardamom 1.5 Tsp black pepper 3-5 Medium-sized cinnamon sticks 2 Tsp cloves 5 Tbsp coriander seeds 2 Tbsp cumin seeds 1 Flower mace flower strands 1.5 Tsp grated nutmeg

METHOD

Clean all the spices separately and make sure no small stones and other debris are present. Dry roast all the spices separately on a slow flame till the aroma of spices starts coming. Roasting also makes them perfectly dry and crisp. Cool them and later grind them in a blender to a fine powder. Fine powder can be used for biryani masala while coarse powder can be used for garam masala in curries. Coarse masala powder can also be used for preparing masala chai. Store fine and coarse masala separately in air tight glass jars. For longevity of masala mix store it in a refrigerator.