This is my favourite garam masala recipe - if I tried to list all the books that helped me come up with it there'd be more space taken up by that than the actual recipe. If you don't have one or two of the spices listed here don't worry - just leave them out and you'll still get a recognisable garam masala.
If you don't have the equipment to grind your own spices, experiment with mixing together as many of the spices below as you can find ready-ground, in roughly the same proportions.
Makes about 2 tbsp
1. Cut open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Discard the pods and the funny stuff around the seeds. Break the bay leaves up into small pieces.
2. Roast everything together over low heat in a dry (ie no oil) frying pan - nonstick is best - until they start to smell nice.
3. Remove from the heat and grind together in a coffee grinder.
Kake's (Vegan) Cookery Site - http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/
This page added some time in 1997
- comments and questions to
Kake L Pugh (kake@earth.li).