Garam Masala
Garam Masala is the most widely used blend of herbs and spices used in Indian and Pakistani cooking. Exact ingredients and blends vary quite a bit from one region to another but typically, Garam Masala includes cloves, peppercorns, star anise, coriander, nutmeg, cumin, cardamom, mace, garlic, ginger, turmeric, fennel, chili peppers and malibar leaves.
The best restaurants and home kitchen will of course create their own fresh blends but for those of us with less access to the whole range of herbs and spices and less time, Garam Masala blends are readily available in Asian markets as well as gourmet western markets. These commercial blends are packaged in a ground powder format with a dark yellow to brown hue. It’s highly important to store this type of Garam Masala in an air-tight container or zip lock bag to preserve its freshness and aroma for as long as possible.
Health benefits of garam masala range as far as the individual health benefits of each of its ingredients, which include powerful antioxidants, antibacterials, antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories.