Garam Masala

In India, just about every home has its own recipe for garam masala, which is the most common spice blend in the country and a cornerstone of cuisines all over South Asia, where it’s used in curries, rice dishes and dals, and with vegetables, meats and fish.

This version is adapted from Floyd Cardoz, the pioneering Indian chef who opened Tabla and Bombay Bread Bar in New York and who died of the coronavirus in March 2020.

His wife, Barkha Cardoz, said that Cardoz’s blend was intentionally on the minimalist and sweeter side compared with other traditional mixes, making it very versatile.

“My grandmother would use 15 spices and grind enough for the whole the family,” she said. “Then Floyd became the grandmother.

He started making garam masala for everyone with just a few spices so you can use it everywhere, in curries, of course, and I’ve used it to make apple pie and Christmas cake.”

10 green cardamom pods (1

gram)

4 black cardamom pods (5

grams)

6 whole cloves (1 gram) 2 (2-inch/5-gram) cinnamon

sticks, broken into pieces 3 whole mace blades/arils (3

grams), see tip that follows 3 whole star anise pods (2

grams)

3 bay leaves, preferably Indian

Instructions: Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Spread spices on a small rimmed baking pan and toast until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer pan to a rack and let the spices cool.

Using a spice grinder, clean coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the spices until fine.

If you like, you can strain the mix through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any coarse bits, but this is optional.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Tip: Whole mace is available at spice shops and online.

Yield: ¼ cup

Adapted from Floyd Cardoz