Mughul Garam Masala

inspired by travels to India

adapted by Maud Hallin

makes 1 spice jar

1 tablespoon light cumin seeds

2 teaspoons black cumin seeds

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds, extracted from their green pods

1 1/2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

3 cinnamon sticks (each about 1 inch) broken into bits

1 teaspoon mace powder

Technically, you should heat each of the first five spices separately in a dry cast iron frying pan. But the cumin and fennel have about the same heating time. Then grind everything to a fine powder in a coffee grinder. I grind the whole batch, and store it in an air tight jar in a dark place. It will keep for three months or so. The most painful moment is extracting the cardamom seeds. I heat the pods, smack them with the bottom of a frying pan or other hard utensil, and try to remove the hulls. If some hulls remain, don't worry.

Garam masala means "hot spices." It is a combination of spices which are dry roasted and ground to a powder. A small amount is usually added to a dish at the end of the cooking process. Every Indian family has its own version.

This mixture also comes in very handy as a dry rub on meat or in a marinade. See Chicken in Cashew and Coconut Sauce on page 34. I have also used it when making chutney and on carrots cooked in orange juice. You can buy ready-made garam masala, but your own will have a much better flavor.