Garam Masala Spice Mix

I did A LOT of East-Indian cooking while I was married to my Ex husband (who was from India).   This spice mix is often used in Indian cooking.  Many East-Indian families have their own Garam Masala mix.  And you can buy it pre-made in stores.  But...   unless you have an Indian grocery store nearby, buying this in regular American stores can get expensive.  So here is my favorite homemade go-to recipe for this particular spice mix.  You can make a whole bunch of it and keep it in a nice, tight-sealed container.  I highly recommend buying the "Badia" brand of spices, usually found in the hispanic foods section-- most grocers carry it, and they are 1/2 to 1/4 the price of other spice brands.  You can also find some of these in dollar stores.  

Garam Masala Spice Mix

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp chilli powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Bay leaf crumbled

Directions:

blend all spices together in a food processor, to crush the whole spices.   Store in an air-tight container.  Makes 1/4 cup.