Fresh GM at any stage of cooking is one more step away from old style BIR for me.
I couldn't disagree more (no surprises there!).
I just view GM as being another flavour provider in ground form.
What I find curious is that people are happy to use the whole spice versions of GM, but seem scared of using the powdered form. Perhaps it's because they use too much of it and find it overpowers the dishes. It's interesting how people are starting to introduce GM flavours into base sauces via whole spices but reject the ground form which if introduced into the base sauce with the mix powder used would probably have a similar effect.
GM adds another flavour level over the top of the usual mix powders used and to be honest I get a bit tired of the dominant flavours most mix powders give particularly as they seem quite heavily reliant on generic Madras curry powder.
Perhaps people could try using a GM with a heavy coriander/cumin base with only smaller quantities of the more pungent GM spices such as cassia, cardamon, cloves, nutmeg etc.
I think GM gets a bad reputation here.
