Garam Masala
In Indian culture, it is a rare occurrence not to use garam masala when preparing dishes. It can be used with other seasonings or just alone. In the Northern part of India this mixture of seasonings is usually powdery. In contrast, in the Southern India it is made into a paste using water, coconut milk, or vinegar.
The seasoning comes from a blend of ground spices prevalent in Indian cooking, from soups to lentil dishes. The terms garam and masala means “hot” and “spices” respectively. So the name of this Indian blend of spices translates loosely to “warming spices.” As the translation suggests, this blend of spices serves the purpose of heating or warming the body and boosting the rate of metabolism.
Varieties of the Ingredients in the Spice
Before cooking with this spice, understand that its recipe tends to vary. The ingredients used for blending differ from one region to another because of individual taste and preference of a chef.
In the northern Indian region this ground spices blend usually only employs the use of black pepper as the hot element and mostly puts more effort into having sweet, aromatic spices. Cook with this northern blend if you want the spicing to be more mild.
In Southern India, the spice is much hotter because they use red chilies as part of the ingredients.
Origins
Cooking with this spice has been around for generations and its origin is thought to be in Northern India. Northern India has colder seasons so it is understandable why the use of warming spices is more widespread there. At present, the use of the seasonings blend is spread throughout India.
What is used to make the blend of garam masala?
Often the ground spices mixture is comprised of:
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Black pepper
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Cardamom
Other ingredients that may also be used for the different varieties or recipes of the seasoning blend include dried red chilies, fenugreek, turmeric, tamarind, mustard seeds, etc.
To sum it up
When a person uses garam masala, it helps enhance the flavors of dishes and reduces the amount of other seasonings used. Adding it to your vegetables, chicken, rice, baked potatoes, even as simple as in your mayonnaise to liven up a sandwich can do wonders for you. The different ingredients used in the spice come with different health benefits including improving digestion and metabolism and increasing body temperature. Use this spice blend today to realize the many benefits.
Here is a link to buy our blend.
