Homemade Garam Masala Made from Scratch in a Mortar and Pestle
Last updated: May 2026
Learn how to make homemade garam masala, the essential spice blend for cooking delicious Chicken Tikka Masala. This easy recipe uses simple pantry spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, and cinnamon to create a rich, aromatic flavor. Perfect for your next Indian-inspired meal, whether you're making chicken, paneer, or veggie tikka masala. Spice up your cooking with this versatile masala blend!
Why in the KROK
Garam masala is a test of brute force. Cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg, and cloves are dense, round, and stubborn. They resist electric spice grinders that leave them partially intact, and they slide around in smooth mortars without breaking down. The KROK's unpolished Thai granite interior grips these spherical spices so the heavy pestle can crack them open, while the dense stone generates the focused impact needed to crush the cinnamon sticks and nutmeg into a fine powder. Toasting the spices first opens their volatile oils, and the mortar's crushing action releases those oils more completely than slicing blades. The 3-cup bowl also accommodates the full volume of this recipe in a single batch, so you are not grinding spices in frustrating halves.
Chicken Tikka Masala Curry is a rich, aromatic dish bursting with bold spices and tender chicken. This comforting Indian-inspired curry is made with a homemade garam masala blend, turmeric, and Indian red chili powder, simmered in a creamy yogurt-based sauce for a perfect balance of heat and depth. Served with rice or naan, it’s a hearty meal that’s easy to customize—swap chicken for tofu, chickpeas, or veggies for a vegetarian option. A delicious, homemade curry packed with authentic flavors!
Author:
Tee
Ingredients
Garam Masala
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
20g cinnamon
12 pods white cardamom
10 bay leaves
26 cloves
2 star anise
2 nutmeg
2 pieces mace
1 tsp black peppercorns
Ingredients for Marinating Chicken
300g boneless chicken thigh, cut into small pieces
Break larger spices, such as mace, into smaller pieces. Lightly crush nutmeg, white cardamom, and star anise with a mortar and pestle—just enough to crack them, not turn them into powder.
Toast hard-to-burn spices that take longer to roast, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, white cardamom, star anise, black peppercorns, cumin, coriander seeds, and mace, over low heat.
Keep roasting until the spices release a smoky aroma and the cumin seeds puff up. Then, add the bay leaves and roast for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. Your homemade masala is now ready for cooking.
Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
Marinate the chicken with yogurt, salt, and lemon juice. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
Heat a pan over low heat, add rice bran oil, and sauté the onions until soft. Then, add tomatoes and carrots, cooking for another 2–3 minutes until the carrots start to soften.
Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until it begins to cook. Then, add your homemade garam masala, Indian red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste and stir until fragrant.
Pour in water and yogurt, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to allow the curry sauce to infuse into the chicken.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make garam masala in an electric spice grinder?
You can, but the flavor will be flatter. Electric spice grinders use rapidly spinning blades that slice spices into small pieces, releasing some aroma but leaving many cell walls intact. A mortar and pestle crushes toasted spices against stone, rupturing more cells and releasing a deeper, more complex fragrance. For small batches, the mortar is also easier to clean between different spice blends, preventing flavor cross-contamination.
Is the KROK mortar and pestle good for hard spices like cinnamon sticks and whole nutmeg?
Yes. The KROK's dense Thai granite is specifically designed for this type of heavy-duty grinding. The unpolished interior grips round spices like cardamom pods, peppercorns, and coriander seeds so they don't slide around under the pestle, and the heavy granite head generates enough force to crack cardamom pods and crush cinnamon bark and nutmeg. The 3-cup capacity also means you can toast and grind the entire batch at once rather than working in small portions.
How long does homemade garam masala last?
Freshly ground mortar-made garam masala lasts about 3 to 6 months when stored in an airtight container away from heat and light. Because you are grinding whole toasted spices just before use, the volatile oils are at their peak. For best flavor, make this blend in small batches rather than large quantities. The mortar method is fast enough for small-batch grinding that you can make it fresh every few weeks rather than relying on stale pre-ground powder.
Leave a comment