Garam Masala

Garam masala gives a wonderful taste & aroma to South Asian dishes; used in most recipes. You can make a batch and store in an airtight container; suggested to keep in fridge if environment is intensely humid. Too much garam masala can cause heart burn so use sparingly; I always serve yogurt as a side dish for the less adventurous palettes on my table & also works well as an end to a mouth ripping, sweat pouring spicy meal.

Ingredients:
Cloves: 8
Peppercorn: 18
Big Cardamom: 5
Small Cardamom: 5
Cinnamon Stick: 3 sticks, each 2"
Cumin Seed: 2tsp
Coriander Seed: 2tsp

Directions:
1. Slightly roast all ingredients in a frying pan & in a coffee grinder, grind to powder form.
2. Store in airtight container away from direct sunlight.

Masala Chai

"My sister, Irum's concoction of masala mixture; adds an enriching flavor to tea or coffee. 
A large batch can be ground and kept in an airtight container for as long as flavors keep. Refrigerate if the environment is hot & humid." ~Nisho

Ingredients:

Cinnamon: 1 stick about 2 inches
Anise star: 1
Dry Ginger: 1/4 tsp or a small piece
Cardamom: 1 tsp
Cloves: 1/2 tsp
Peppercorn: 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg: 1/4
Saffron (optional): a few strands

Directions:

1. Use a coffee grinder to grind the above spices.   
2. Use  a few sprinkles, or about 1/8 tsp,  to a cup of black tea. 
3. Add boiled or steaming milk.
4. Sweeten with honey or preferred sweetener.