When it comes to cooking exotic dishes with fragrant herbs and spices I like to prepare the spice mixes from scratch. A freshly toasted and ground spice mix bursts in intensity of flavour, and is a blessing to every dish!
For my veganized Punjabi Dal Makhani, I need my Punjabi Garam Masala. Shall we?
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp black pepper corns
- 3 bay leaves, broken up
- 3 cinnamon sticks or cassia bark, broken up
Now the prep
- Toast all ingredients in a small pan on medium heat for 2-3 minutes unil they’re golden and fragrant. Don’t overcook the ingredients or allow the mix to get brown as it can spoil the aroma of the finished spice mix. If in doubt, undercook.
- Take the pan off the heat and allow the toasted ingredients to cool down before tansferring them into a grinder / spice blender.
- Grind all cooled down ingredients in the grinder / spice blender. If necessary, turn off the grinder / blender every few seconds and check for remaining larger pieces, shake the mix, and continue grinding until you will have a fine powder.
- Transfer into small glass container(s) with a tight fitting lid, and store in a dark cool place. It’s most aromatic within the first 3-4 weeks but will last longer if needed.
