Traditions with garam masala

Garam masala, meaning warming spice mix, is a blend of ground spices, typically cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, coriander and pepper, used at the end of cooking in North Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi dishes. Every family and region has its own recipe, handed down and guarded. It is the scent of the festive kitchen at Eid and Diwali. These pages describe where it is used and what it stands for in the customs of South Asia.

Where it is used

In Punjab and Delhi, garam masala finishes dals, chana masala, butter chicken and keema. In Pakistan, it is in the biryani and nihari of Eid, and in Bangladesh, in the kacchi biryani of weddings. In Kashmir, a local blend is used in the wazwan feast. Indian communities in East Africa, Britain and the Caribbean carry it with them, and use it in curries.

What it means

The grinding of the spice mix for a wedding or festival is an event in many families, with women gathering to roast, pound and sieve. A mother's masala is a treasure, and daughters-in-law ask for the recipe. In British Indian restaurants, the term has become shorthand for Indian cooking, though the real thing is subtle and varies from house to house.