Garam Masala

I got inspired this week to try to make my own version of thosai (dosa, dosay, dosey) and tandoori chicken. I started off by collecting and grinding a set of spices for garam masala. I used the following recipe from the book The Food of India, but one can find many versions of garam masala elsewhere:

1/2 cup cumin seeds

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

4 cinnamon sticks (5cm each)

12 green cardamom pods, bruised

5 black cardamom pods, bruised (couldn't find; substituted more green pods)

10 cloves

1/2 nutmeg, broken

4 blades of mace (couldn't find; skipped)

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

4 whole star anise

5 bay leaves

All spices are dry-roasted in a pan (I use my non-stick wok) over low heat (I used 4 on my scale of 1-12). When the aroma becomes strong, but before any burning occurs, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Afterwards, grind in a coffee mill or electric blender. Store the mix in airtight conditions in the freezer and it will last for months.