Garam Masala

Garam masala is a blended spice mixture central to North Indian, Pakistani and other South Asian cuisines, typically combining warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, black pepper and bay leaf, ground together or used whole. The exact blend varies significantly by region, household and recipe, with no single fixed formula, and the name translates roughly to warm spice mixture. Garam masala is usually added toward the end of cooking to preserve its aroma, distinguishing its use from spice blends added at the start of a dish.