Homemade Garam Masala

This homemade garam masala recipe is from my family. It is an authentic garam masala recipe which has been adapted by my mom and I to make it allergy-safe for our household. 

Garam masala is a staple in South Asian cuisine and one that we can still enjoy as an alternative to garam masala purchased at the store.  Homemade garam masala recipe is the first in our Flavors of Culture series.

Finding a garam masala alternative in a new country

My parents immigrated to the United States from Pakistan.  At nineteen, my mom found herself as a new bride living far away from her family, friends and culture.

My mom cooked our meals from scratch almost everyday.  Initially, she had a hard time sourcing ingredients commonly used to make Pakistani dishes but somehow she was always able to throw a meal together. I fondly remember rushing home on cold Chicago winter days, opening the door to scents of onions frying with fragrant spices in a warm pan. 

Cooking became a way for my mom to preserve culture and connect to her distant home. The kitchen became her sanctuary.  In time, she found a community of friends where gatherings always centered around food.

If she couldn’t find an ingredient she needed to make garam masala, she became creative and looked for alternative spices that could do the job. For example, substituting green cardamom for black cardamom, using cloves instead of nutmeg or even adding orange zest for a twist of flavor.

To hear more about my story and Dr. G weigh in on spices and food allergies, check out this episode of The Itch Podcast.

Hidden allergens in food

When I was a child, I didn’t know anyone with food allergies.  Now, 2 in 13 children in a classroom are estimated to live with food allergies. 

As my daughter’s list of allergens grew, dining in South Asian restaurants became unsafe for my family.  I’ve found that that there can be hidden allergens in food when dining out. Peanuts or cashews can be ground into curries and used as garnishes or sesame may be used as a topping for naan but not listed on a menu. What makes it even trickier is that often restaurants don’t have consistent practices when it comes to serving customers with food allergies, increasing the risk factor for accidental exposure to allergens.

Garam Masala is a blend of aromatic whole spices, usually first toasted to maximize flavor and then ground. You’ll never find the same set of spices in garam masala because it varies based on family, region and personal preferences.

The word “masala” means spices and “garam” means “hot”. However garam masala is not typically spicy just full of flavor.

A garam masala alternative 

U.S. labeling laws now recognize sesame as a top 9 food allergen. But before this recent change in legislation, sesame was not required to be listed as an allergen on food products. This made buying spice blends challenging since often the term “natural” or “spices” were used to describe the blend of spices. Although typically, nuts are not used in garam masala, I have found that blends may sometimes use ground nuts or sesame.  Not knowing what ingredients were actually used made us reevaluate our buying choices and opt for brands that listed out every ingredient on their labels.

This homemade garam masala recipe is a nut-free spice blend and an alternative to garam masala purchased in the store. It is also free from the most common allergens including sesame.

What is a good store bought garam masala substitute?

If you are weary of buying spice blends, stick to spices that have whole ingredients listed. Today there are options for purchasing reliably sourced nut-free spices to make your own homemade garam masala. I’ve included a few of our favorite spice brands in the recipe.

You can also just buy the spices separately and make your own blend. For a quick version, buy already ground spices and throw it together. You are going for flavor here so do what works for you!

Educating extended family about food allergies

My mom still enjoys cooking for us. Initially, she didn’t understand why we needed to be loyal to one brand of spices or that it wasn’t always safe for our family to purchase a spice blend.

My family eventually leaned in and listened to what we needed from them in order to keep our girl safe and included with family food events. We didn’t have to give up on the traditional foods from our culture because of food allergies. We’re still able to enjoy these foods with family and friends by planning ahead, researching products and getting creative in the kitchen.

Garam Masala ingredients list

When making homemade garam masala, every household has their own recipe and uses different ingredients for garam masala. It is best to get out all of the garam masala powder ingredients ahead of time so making this batch will take no time at all.

Cooking with your homemade garam masala recipe

Garam Masala can be used to season a variety of South Asian dishes such as dal; often added at the end of cooking but not always. You can use your homemade garam masala recipe as part of a marinade by mixing in with yogurt and lemon juice, sprinkle on popcorn or roasted chickpeas, top yogurt, soups and dips.

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