Description

Garam masala is the blend most South African Indian kitchens keep closest to the stove. Ours is roasted in small batches and ground coarse enough that you can still see the cinnamon and clove in the jar.

Add it in the last two or three minutes of cooking. The volatile oils that carry the aroma burn off quickly, so a blend added at the start of a long curry does very little by the time the pot comes off the heat. A half teaspoon stirred through at the end will change the whole dish.

Use it in mutton curry, chicken breyani, dhal, and lentil soups. It also works on roast vegetables — toss cauliflower or butternut in oil, roast, then dust with garam masala while still hot.

Every grandmother measures this one by instinct. Start with less than you think and taste.