Many Indian curries call for Garam Masala which basically means hot (garam) and mixture (masala). This recipe is a mild blend but great for the ever popular Murge Makhni (butter chicken). Measure out approximate amounts of the following spices and grind together using a spice grinder or mortal and pestile.
35% Jeera (cumin seed)
35% Coriander seed
30% mixture of equal measure of the following:
black cardamom
green cardamom
cloves
cinnamon
jivitry or mace
black peppercorns
nutmeg
bay leaf
Once finely ground, sift and store into airtight jars.
I met these beautiful ladies at the Tulsi Baug market in Pune and fondly refer to them as the Spice Girls. I had never seen whole tumeric root before and was pleasantly surprised by how aromatic these whole spices were compared to the bland packaged spices we get in Canada.
