Alternative to garam masala: what to use instead

The best alternative to garam masala is a home mix of ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper, with a pinch of clove or cardamom if you have them. Use the same amount the recipe calls for and stir it in near the end of cooking. This swap keeps the dish warm and fragrant.

What is the best substitute for garam masala?

The best substitute for garam masala is a blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon and black pepper in a ratio of about 2:2:1:1. It copies the savoury, sweet and peppery sides of the real blend using spices most kitchens already hold.

Garam masala is itself a mix, so the closest replacement is another mix. Any single spice will miss part of the flavour. Mixing small amounts in a spoon takes under a minute and gives a much better result than adding one powder alone.

How do you make a quick garam masala alternative?

Measure the spices into a small bowl, stir, and use the mix in place of the garam masala the recipe calls for. This quick blend is enough for one dish serving four.

1. Mix 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
4. Add 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
5. Add a tiny pinch of ground cloves or cardamom if you have either.

Stir the mix into the dish at the end, as you would with garam masala, and let the pot rest for a minute before tasting.

Which other spices can replace garam masala?

Several single spices and ready blends can stand in for garam masala, each with a different trade-off. Some are close, others are only rescue options.

Ras el hanout is a North African blend and baharat is a Middle Eastern blend. Both contain cinnamon, pepper and other warm spices, which is why they work as relatives.

Can you use curry powder instead of garam masala?

You can use curry powder instead of garam masala, but the result will be milder, more yellow and less sweet. Curry powder is a different blend, led by turmeric, and it is meant to be cooked from the beginning.

If you have to use it, start with three-quarters of the garam masala amount. Add it with the onions rather than at the end, so the raw taste cooks out. Add a small pinch of ground cinnamon and black pepper at the end to bring back some of the missing aroma.

Can you use allspice instead of garam masala?

Allspice works as a partial replacement for garam masala because it tastes of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg together. It lacks the cumin and coriander base, so add them as well.

Use about half the amount of allspice, plus a quarter teaspoon of cumin for every half teaspoon of allspice. Allspice is the dried berry of a single Caribbean tree, not a mix of spices, despite the name. It suits meat dishes and rice better than delicate vegetable curries.

Which dishes cannot take a substitute?

Dishes that depend on garam masala as the main flavour, such as a simple dal finished with it, or a kebab mix where the blend is the seasoning, suffer most from a swap. Rich, long-cooked curries forgive substitutes more.

• Forgiving: chicken curry, lamb curry, beef curry, paneer curry, rajma and chana masala. Other spices in the pot carry the flavour.
• Less forgiving: biryani, pulao, kebabs, keema and any dish where garam masala is the finishing note.

For biryani and kebabs, make the quick mix above and add a pinch of cardamom, which is the aroma most people notice is missing.

Is it fine to leave garam masala out?

Leaving garam masala out will not ruin most curries, but the dish will taste flatter and less fragrant. The base of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli and coriander still gives a good result.

If the dish tastes bland at the end, try a squeeze of lemon, a pinch of salt or a little extra cumin before you reach for a swap. Gaps in seasoning are sometimes about salt and acid, not garam masala.

How do you adjust a substitute by taste?

Add the substitute in two stages: half the amount while the dish simmers, then the rest at the end after tasting. This keeps you from overshooting with a blend you cannot judge yet.

Taste the pot and decide what it lacks. If it tastes flat and savoury, add a little more cumin or pepper. If it tastes too sharp, add a pinch of cinnamon. If the aroma is weak, warm a teaspoon of ghee or oil, stir in a pinch of the mix for ten seconds and pour it over the dish, which is the same idea as a finishing tadka. Salt and a squeeze of lemon also bring out flavour that spices alone cannot.

What should you not use instead of garam masala?

Do not use pumpkin pie spice, chaat masala or pre-mixed taco seasoning as a swap, because each pulls the dish in a different direction. They either add sugar and nutmeg, sourness or salt, or smoked paprika and oregano.

Pumpkin pie spice leans sweet and would suit a milk dessert more than a curry. Chaat masala is tangy and salty. Taco seasoning contains chilli, oregano and salt in different proportions. If none of the good swaps is available, a plain curry with just salt and pepper is better than one made with the wrong blend.

Will Mera Desh Grocery have garam masala?

Mera Desh Grocery is an Indian grocery store in Truganina, Victoria, so a spice blend such as garam masala is the type of product its shelves might hold. This is a general expectation, not a confirmed fact.

The store’s recorded range, drawn from a Google reviewer, lists lentils, flour (atta), nuts, vegan snacks, frozen vegetables, paneer, yoghurt and buffalo milk. Spices are not on that list, and the store has no online price list. Call 0430 123 394 to ask, and see the hours and location page and the menu and ranges page for the details recorded so far. This guide is independent and takes no orders.

Common questions

Planning a visit? Start with Mera Desh Grocery: address, opening hours, menu and directions in one place.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Mera Desh Grocery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.