Topic: Garam Masala

[chewytikka]

Hi Sp
I'll try and put this to bed. Garam Masala is ambiguous, like so many written terms and definitions.
Firstly my BIR kitchen knowledge is real and of Bangladeshi/Bengali kitchens, which are probably 80% of the UK BIR's.

The four main Whole Garam Spices used daily, both in a Bengali Home and Restaurant are 1.Tej Patta or Indian Bay Leaves, 2.Hari Elaichi or Green Cardamom, 3.Laung or Cloves, 4.Dalchini or Cassia Bark. These are used whole, in various preparations for taste and aroma i.e for flavouring precooked meats. precooked chopped onions, and precooked chunky vegetables, although some chefs favour Bengali five spice (Panch Phoron) for the latter and not forgetting rices and some sweets.

Bengali BIR Garam Masala.
The same whole Garam spices, 1234 when ground and combined, produce a Garam Masala Powder, which a Bengali BIR chef will use a pinch of to provide an aromatic finish to any particular curry dish he cooks, usually Bhuna or Karahi style, it really is chef dependant.

So when you pass a Bengali BIR or Bengali home and smell that distinct aroma, these 4 aromatics are a main part of that.

These are the main 4 Garam spices preferred by Bengalis, plenty of other spices are used in there cooking
but these 4 are fundamental and always have been. for Bengalis Anyhoo.

cheers Chewy

[Les]

Chewy
Do you have the recipe to make the GM powder with the famous four.

Les

[martinvic]

At least half the spice mixes (restaurant or otherwise) on here have Garam Masala as an ingredient.

Martin

[chewytikka]

Chewy
Do you have the recipe to make the GM powder with the famous four.

Les

Hi Les
Just equal parts, near enough
No need to roast or you can if you fancy

1part  Cardamom Seeds (Discard Husks)
1part  Cloves
1part  Tej Patta
1part  Cinnamon Stick.

cheers Chewy

[Les]

Chewy
Do you have the recipe to make the GM powder with the famous four.

Les

Hi Les
Just equal parts, near enough
No need to roast or you can if you fancy

1part  Cardamom Seeds (Discard Husks)
1part  Cloves
1part  Tej Patta
1part  Cinnamon Stick.

cheers Chewy

Appreciated Chewy,
Thanks a bunch

Les

[Peripatetic Phil]

So what really is unclear ?  We know what it contains (in general, and to a certain extent, specific, terms), we know how it is used.  What remains to be discussed ?

For me personally, (I can't speak for others) specifically how a BIR Chef would use his/her Garam Masala mix. That's really what I would like to know. Are they using it as an ingredient in a generic 'spice mix'? Or as a replacement for the 'spice mix' itself? Or along more conventional lines aka Julian from C2Go, as an addition at the end of cooking? [...] Maybe it's just me, but I'm quite curious about understanding this.

Yes, I think that question is a very important one, but would you not agree that we can almost certainly rule out the possibility of a knowledgeable BIR chef "using [GM] as a replacement for the 'spice mix' itself" ?  I would estimate the probability of that at nearly zero.

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Just equal parts, near enough
No need to roast or you can if you fancy

1part  Cardamom Seeds (Discard Husks)
1part  Cloves
1part  Tej Patta
1part  Cinnamon Stick.

Confused, Chewy : in your earlier message you wrote : "The same whole Garam spices, 1234 when ground and combined, produce a Garam Masala Powder"; I took your "1234" as indicating the proportions, but you now say these are 1:1:1:1.  If "1234" were not the proportions, what were they intended to represent ?

Also can you clarify further your use of "Darchini or Cinnamon/Cassia Bark" ?  For me, "Dalchini" (my preferred spelling, but we are both referring to the same thing) is Cinnamon.  Cassia bark is another substance completely, which I refer to in my own posts as "faux Cinnamon" but which is also called (e.g.,) "Chinese cinnamon".  From your perspective, which is used in Garam Masala : Cinnamon, or Cassia Bark [2] ?

** Phil.
--------
[1] from Cinnamomum verum
[2] from Cinnamomum aromaticum

C. burmannii (Korintje or Indonesian cinnamon) and C. loureiroi (Saigon cinnamon or Vietnamese cinnamon) are also sources of variants of faux Cinnamon.

[chewytikka]

Confused, Chewy : in your earlier message you wrote : "The same whole Garam spices, 1234 when ground and combined, produce a Garam Masala Powder"; I took your "1234" as indicating the proportions, but you now say these are 1:1:1:1.  If "1234" were not the proportions, what were they intended to represent ?

Also can you clarify further your use of "Darchini or Cinnamon/Cassia Bark" ?  For me, "Dalchini" (my preferred spelling, but we are both referring to the same thing) is Cinnamon.  Cassia bark is another substance completely, which I refer to in my own posts as "faux Cinnamon" but which is also called (e.g.,) "Chinese cinnamon".  From your perspective, which is used in Garam Masala : Cinnamon, or Cassia Bark [2] ?

** Phil.
--------
[1] from Cinnamomum verum
[2] from Cinnamomum aromaticum

C. burmannii (Korintje or Indonesian cinnamon) and C. loureiroi (Saigon cinnamon or Vietnamese cinnamon) are also sources of variants of faux Cinnamon.

RTT
I numbered the spices 1,2,3,4, giving their name and in English, how simple do you want it Phil

They use Cinnamon/Cassia Bark. either will do, I'ts all in the family, likewise Tej Patta.
 
cheers Chewy

[ELW]

Yes, I think that question is a very important one, but would you not agree that we can almost certainly rule out the possibility of a knowledgeable BIR chef "using [GM] as a replacement for the 'spice mix' itself" ?  I would estimate the probability of that at nearly zero.

** Phil.

Hi Phil, here's one http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3923.0, coming from a brilliant bir observation, this has always puzzled me in comparison to almost every other recipe. Think the idea was to add the spices in the form of the onion paste, that has no mix powder either  . Base uses "curry powder", which is the only powder mix i can see there
My efforts at these are way off what you would be served in one of their restaurants
ELW

[noble ox]

Can we once and for all clear up this mistake re:bay leaves
When used in GM
"tejpat"  is a leaf from a tree called   Cinnamomum tamala THE CASSIA LEAF
For some strange reason it is called  " Indian Bay Leaf " for the western market

BAY LEAF is from Laurus Nobilis

Many chefs in the curry realm use the word  "Bay Leaf "in GM mixes ( including KD) without specifying which one either can be used but the best is the CASSIA LEAF tejpat

No wonder there is still confusion