Garam means hot and masala means blend or mixture. This is a northern spice mixture which is used predominantly in Moghul and tandoori cuisine.

There are several spice blends of garam masala available in the supermarket but it's worth having a go and making your own especially in a pestle and mortar. Then you can use the mixture immediately in your curries.

9-10 green cardamoms

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

6 cloves

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 pieces (approximately 1 inch in size each) cassia bark or cinnamon sticks