HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN MASALA BLEND AT HOME
Grinding your Indian masala has several benefits. It's worthwhile if you enjoy cooking and are looking for ways to enhance the flavor of your dishes.
Here are the main reasons why you should consider grinding your spices:
- Freshness - When you grind your spices, they will always be fresher than readymade/pre-ground spice mixes. Spices lose their flavor and potency as they age. Freshly ground spices will be more flavorful and aromatic. Readymade mixes from Indian spice store often sit on store shelves for extended periods before being purchased.
- Customization - You can customize the coarseness or fineness of the grind. Customizing is better suited to the needs of a particular recipe or your personal preferences. Customizing Indian seasoning can be especially useful if you use a recipe that calls for a specific type of grind. It can be finely ground cumin for a marinade or coarsely ground black pepper for a rub.
- Financial benefits - Grinding your spices can be more cost-efficient in the long run, especially if you buy whole spices in bulk. Whole spices tend to be cheaper than pre-ground spices, and they also have a longer shelf life. Therefore, you can easily stock up and have ample supply for grinding when needed.
- Control over quality - When you make your masalas, you have complete control over the quality of your ingredients. So, you can choose the best spices and avoid any fillers or additives included in pre-ground spices.
- Aromatic oils - Many Indian spices and groceries, such as black peppercorns and whole cloves, contain aromatic oils. These oils evaporate or dissipate over time. Grinding dry spices before use helps preserve the oils and intensify their flavors.
- Custom blends - Grinding your spices allows you to create custom spice blends, like a barbecue rub or a unique curry powder. Blending can be an excellent way to experiment with different flavors and create unique combinations.
Grinding your spices of India is a quick, simple, and easy way to elevate the flavor of your dishes. It also adds personalization to your cooking. Whether you are just starting in the kitchen or a seasoned cook, blending your masalas is well worth the effort.
Let's now take at some delightful homemade spice blends you'll enjoy:
GARAM MASALA
Garam masala is the most common spice blend used in Indian cuisine. Typically, it contains a mix of ground spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and pepper. The exact recipe for garam masala varies depending on the region or personal preference, but here is a simple recipe that you can try at home:
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of cumin seeds
- One tablespoon of coriander seeds
- One tablespoon of cardamom seeds (15 pods)
- One tablespoon of black peppercorns
- One cinnamon stick broken into pieces.
- Two whole cloves
- One teaspoon of fennel seeds (optional)
Blending Instructions:
- In a small pan, combine the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and cloves on medium heat.
- Toast the spices. Keep frequently stirring till they're fragrant and lightly toasted (about 3-5 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the spices cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder, mortar, and pestle. Grind them till they turn powdered.
- If you're using fennel seeds, stir them in.
- Transfer the ground garam masala blend to an airtight container.
- Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
This garam masala blend can be used immediately or stored for six months.
FIVE SPICE BLEND
Five spice powder is a blend of spices commonly used in Asian cuisines. It typically consists of cloves, ground cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, fennel, and star anise. Here's a quick and simple recipe for making your five-spice powder at home:
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- Two tablespoons ground cloves
- Two tablespoons ground fennel seeds
- Two tablespoons ground star anise
- Two tablespoons ground Sichuan pepper
Blending Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to mix well.
- Transfer the five-spice powder to an airtight container.
- Store in a dry and cool place till ready to use.
Like Garam Masala, the five-spice masala powder also can be used immediately or stored for up to 6 months.
BERBERE BLEND
Berbere is a spice blend commonly used in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisines. It consists of ground spices such as chili peppers, garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika, and fenugreek and whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons dried and ground chili peppers
- Two tablespoons paprika
- Two tablespoons of garlic powder
- Two tablespoons ground coriander
- Two tablespoons ground fenugreek
- Two tablespoons of ground ginger
- One tablespoon of ground cardamom
- One tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- One tablespoon of ground cloves
Blending Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir to mix well.
- Transfer the Berbere spice blend to an airtight container.
- Store in a dry and cool place till ready to use.
The Berbere blend powder also can be used immediately or stored for up to 6 months.
BAHARAT SPICE BLEND
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend. It typically consists of ground spices such as coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and paprika. The Baharat spice blend can flavor vegetables, poultry, and meat. Here goes a simple Baharat recipe that you can try at home:
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of black peppercorns
- Two tablespoons of cardamom seeds
- Two tablespoons of broken cinnamon sticks
- Two tablespoons coriander seeds
- Two tablespoons of cumin seeds
- Two tablespoons paprika
- Two teaspoons whole cloves
Blending Instructions:
- Combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, and paprika in a small pan. Stir on medium heat.
- Toast the spices, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly toasted (about 3-5 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool.
- Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder, mortar, and pestle. Grind the spices till they're finely ground.
- Transfer the ground spice blend to an airtight container.
- Store in a dry, cool place till ready to use.
The Baharat blend can be used immediately or stored for up to 6 months.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can I grind masala at home?
A spice grinder is best for blending your spice powders as and when required. You can use an electric coffee/spice grinder or grind the spices by hand using a mortar and pestle. Note that this will take a fair amount of arm work.
How long does homemade masala last?
Homemade spice mixtures can last up to 6 months (or even more!). Store the masala powder in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry, dark place (like a pantry or spice cabinet).
How do you make spice powder?
There are several methods for grinding spices by hand. These methods include using a mortar and pestle (most common), rasp grater, and even a rolling pin! You can quickly hone your spices using a blender, food processor, electric spice grinder, or coffee grinder.
How do you grind spices by hand?
Use a blunt object, like a rolling pin, cast-iron skillet, or meat tenderizer, for the tough-to-grind spices and seeds. Before grinding the herbs, put them in a ziplock bag first; otherwise, you'll create a mess and lose much of your hard work.
How to grind masala without a mixer?
Use a rolling pin for the best results. Before grinding, chop the spices into smaller pieces for ease of grinding. After wrapping the dry herbs with plastic wrap, use a rolling pin on a flat surface to grind the spices.
What is the hardest spice to grind?
Cinnamon is one of the most common spices. Yet it's the hardest to grind because it comes from the bark of young twigs. Fortunately, cinnamon grinders can help you crush and grind cinnamon bark to a fine powder.
What are the best spices to grind?
These are the best spices to buy whole first and then grind at home for maximum flavor:
- Peppercorns
- Nutmeg
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Cardamom