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Majority of the tasty dishes that we cook have a secret tasty masala which adds a distinct flavour to the dish, and usually, this secret masala is known as Garam Masala.
Indian cooking is never complete without adding Garam Masala in the recipe. So, what exactly is this masala?
It is a blend of spices. This popular Indian masala has various health benefits as well, apart from adding flavour to the dish. The various ingredients used to prepare this spice mix includes a blend of dry spices which like cardamom, cinnamon, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaves, black pepper, cloves, red chilli peppers and nutmeg.
Most of these spices are healthy and help solve various problems.

Benefits of Garam Masala:

• Garam Masala is supposed to slow down the ageing process. It helps promote weight loss. It helps fight the disease and build immunity in the body.
• It acts as an effective pain killer. It increases the ability to absorb various vitamins, minerals, and proteins in the body. It is effective and relieves various digestive problems like gas, heartburn, and reduces bloating.
• It helps in detoxification and soothes an upset stomach. The blood sugar levels are also lowered by daily consumption in very minute quantities. Bad breath issues can also be controlled to a larger extent.

Certain ingredients of Garam Masala play a vital role in the maintenance of health.

Benefits of the ingredients are as follows:

• Cardamom: It is one of the most important ingredients. It possesses antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-carcinogenic properties. It helps to remove toxins from the body and promotes digestive health. It relieves heartburn, relieves gas, and soothes upset stomachs. It lowers blood pressure and increases blood circulation.
• Cinnamon: It is an anti-microbial and an anti-inflammatory agent. Hence, it helps the body to fight against various foreign particles and microbes. Cinnamon is high in calcium and fibre content. Thus, helps to combat digestive problems and even control blood sugar levels.
• Cumin: This is a popular ingredient known to stimulate digestion since ages. It helps to relieve indigestion. It is rich in iron and promotes oxygen circulation in the body and prevents conditions like anaemia. It helps to fight against cancer too.
• Coriander: An excellent agent to control blood sugar levels. It is also known for its ability to lower cholesterol. It stimulates digestion as well.
• Black Pepper: The bitter taste is provided by the black pepper in the Garam Masala. It helps to absorb various vitamins, minerals and proteins. It is rich in fibre content too.

High fibre means one feels full and thus lower calorie intake, thus promoting weight loss. It acts as a natural metabolism booster and aids in breaking down fat cells.
Black pepper is rich in vitamin K and manganese, responsible for breaking down of fats and carbohydrates. Additionally, it helps to fight against skin cancer and improves skin complexion.

• Cloves: Cloves are famous for their ability to relieve toothaches. The antioxidant content in cloves is high and thus helps to improve immunity.
  Add this multipurpose masala in curries, soups and rice recipes and boost health through the food. Buy high-quality organic products and prepare mouth-watering spice blend or buy organic blended Garam Masala from Terra Greens.

A hot cup of chai, steaming pakoras or aloo bajjis, a cosy corner, watching the monsoon rains drenching green grass and the smell of damp mud. Heaven on earth, indeed! Popular Indian snacks invariably mean something dipped in besan batter and fried to perfection.
Garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, chickpea flour, Bengal gram flour are just some of the names of that all pervasive ingredient of Indian cooking – BESAN.
Traditionalists insist that besan is powdered Bengal gram or “Kala channa ” with its skin off. But flour made from chick peas (channa) which are dried and then powdered or channa dal (the de-skinned version of chick peas) are called besan too.Besan is a common and popular ingredient in not just Indian cuisine but a staple in many Asian countries too. In fact, besan could bind more than the potatoes in aloo bondas: it could be that binding factor in India’s relations with her neighbours – Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. That is how popular this flour is.
The use of besan extends to the Italian Farinata and its French cousin socca(or cade)- a thin, baked pancake. Even in Morocco, Africa, gram flour is added to eggs and baked to make karan.

The chameleon of the kitchen
Besan can be used in innumerable ways – as a binder, thickener, in a variety of snacks, sweets, to make papads. Only human innovation or imagination can limit the use of this versatile ingredient. The Burmese actually make a kind of “besan tofu” which is used in salads, deep fried or dried to make crackers. In some regions of India, like Gujarat and Rajasthan, the use of besan is extensive and mind bogglingly varied because of the scarcity of vegetables in these dry and arid regions. A friend laughingly calls the cuisine here “various dishes of besan on besan”.
Besan makes a good replacement for egg in vegan cooking when mixed in equal parts with water.

Skin deep beauty secret
The traditional south Indian “head bath” means a whole body massage with a generous dose of oil followed by “body painting” with a paste made from besan, turmeric and water . After this paste has dried, it is rubbed off- this absorbs the excess oil, works as a massage and exfoliation to boot.
A paste made from 4 teaspoons of besan ,1 tsp of curd, 1tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric is used to remove tan.This makes a great hair pack too.

Your vegetarian bodybuilder
Half a cup of besan flour contains 10 grams of protein and hardly 3 grams of fat most of which is the healthy unsaturated type. It is an excellent and easy to use source of protein for vegetarians. Half a cup of besan also contains as much as 5 grams of fibre. This makes besan nutritionally dense- it takes longer to get digested. This means that you feel fuller on fewer calories and can lose those extra kilos.

Gluten free for those sensitive souls
Besan flour does not contain gluten and makes a good substitute for wheat flour in gluten free diets. If you are not too happy with the bean taste, try replacing a bit of the besan with rice flour.

Besan ka side effects
Besan’s soluble fibre content makes it a good agent for lowering cholesterol and maintaining a low glycemic index and controlling sugar cravings. The Indian gene makes us susceptible to diabetes. Modern lifestyles have increased the incidence of heart disease. Make besan your double edged sword in fighting these two diseases.

Folate for Foetal health
Half a cup of besan has 201 mg of folate which is indispensable to protein production and in the formation of genetic material. Pregnancy means quick growth and development of the foetus. Using besan in the diet during pregnancy is a good supplement of folate and especially good for the development of the spinal cord and the brain in the baby.

Vitamins are vital
Thiamine in besan helps to convert food to energy and is good for fighting fatigue needed for that extra zip. The vitamin B6 content of besan is necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells and serotonin – a neurotransmitter which controls mood and appetite.

It’s elementary, my dear
A half cup of besan has 2 milligrams of iron, 76 milligrams of magnesium and 146 milligrams of phosphorus. The magnesium content in besan helps muscles to relax and thus maintain vascular health and regulate blood pressure. Besan also has iron which is essential for “fixing” oxygen in the blood to be transported to all parts of the body. Iron is also needed for producing collagen – the scaffold on which the strength and structure of the body rests. Phosphorous aids in building bones: it carries fats (lipids) through the body and activates enzymes which are needed for the proper functioning of all bodily activities.

Besan does not mean deep fried
Though the popular avatars of besan are deep fried, there are many ways that this nutty flavoured flour can be used : so rescue it from being battered and submerged in hot oil. Here are a few suggestions: The Gujarathi dhokla /Khaman is a great way to go. Sindhi Kadi embraces the goodness of besan, is loaded with vegetables and is an absolutely yummy delight. Try this mouth watering dosa prototype from the south of India. Do not feel guilty when you pop that delicious pakoda into your mouth the next time. Just be aware of the greatness of this humble powder and use it healthfully. To double the benefits of this healthy ingredient, use it in its organic form. Same taste, better health!

While waiting for a taxi to pick me up at the Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Terminus,I stood marvelling at the mix of architectural styles of the Grand Old Dame of Mumbai : a mix of Victorian, Italianate, Gothic, Revivalist AND Mughal styles. I was surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the vibrant crowd milling around me: synthetic saris, colourful salwar-kameez and precariously low rise jeans vied with one and other for attention. Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, English and Hinglish (Indian English) conversations and exclamations flew fast and furious.
“This,” I said to myself happily “is India!”
India is a vast and colourful patchwork of different cultures, languages and religions. What was really indigenous to this region of Asia? It is difficult to tell. Invasions, occupations and colonialism have all left their mark on every facet of Indian life.The ancient mixes freely with the modern. And here we stand now in all the glory of a rich mixture of cultures which have influenced how we speak, dress and eat, the very “roti, kapada and makaan” of our lives.
It would be difficult to describe any one culinary style as being “Indian”. Boiled beef and greens and Shepherd’s Pie might be illustrative of English cooking, but Indian cuisine is too vast and varied to be slotted in any single way.
Why is this so?

Differing climate means different cuisines
India is a land of varied climates and soil types. This affects the crops grown in different areas which in turn influence culinary practices and preferences. For instance, in the northern colder Punjab region wheat is the staple and sarson ka tel (mustard oil) a popular cooking medium because the soil and climate are suitable to these crops. But, in the peninsular south, rice, fish and coconut abound in many kitchens: this is because of the plentiful monsoon rains, the hot climate and the long coastline.

The religion of food
Indian cuisine is also heavily influenced by religious choices. Religion plays a big part in influencing all cultural aspects of ethnic groups and this includes the food that is cooked. There is no other country in the world where vegetarianism is a way of life to such a large extent; no other culture which offers such a vast and varied vegetarian platter. The traditional caste system also dictates what is to be put on the plate.
In their turn, the Mongol and Mughal invasions brought Islam to India and new ways of eating were thus introduced.

Congregation of cultures
Middle Eastern and Central Asian culinary influences are more evident in North Indian cuisine from the Mughal rule which was mainly quartered in this region of India. The British brought with them their own culinary expertise and the “Brown sahibs” took these practices further into Indian cuisine. Can you imagine going for 3 consecutive days without cooking a potato? This all pervasive tuber was brought to India by the Portuguese who also introduced chillies. Can you imagine Indian cooking without these two “foreign particles”?

Spice, Spice, Baby!
The Spice trade between India and Europe opened the doors to further cultures and, thus, cuisines. Kerala was referred to as “The Spice Garden of India” and was the light that beckoned the likes of Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama. The spice route not only introduced new culinary experiences to Indian palettes but spread Indian culinary influences to different countries along the Spice Route.

The “warming spice”
Translation: Garam Masala. This ubiquitous powder actually originated in Northern India where winters are cold. It is a blend of ground spices, sometimes roasted before grinding to release their bouquet – peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin. Before I hear protesting voices and cries of “that’s not all!”, let me clarify that this is the very basic avatar. Some people add star anise, mace or bay leaf, some or all of these. There are yet others who enhance the masala with dagadphool (stone flower) and kababchini (tailed pepper). The spices could be blended carefully to achieve a balanced effect or maybe a single flavour could rule the taste buds.

Hot or not?
The “garam” in the masala is hot in the Ayurvedic sense. In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, there are foods which are “hot” in that they are believed to elevate body heat or “pitta”. Pitta is what enables the normal metabolic functions of the body in the Ayurvedic tradition. Garam Masala is actually more pungent than “hot” in the sense of red chilli powder.

North , South, East, West…
Garam Masala might have its origins in the North of India, but it is a popular and essential ingredient in Indian cuisine throughout the length and breadth of this diverse land. Its wonderful aroma and spicy flavour add the correct amount of zest to many a dish. The smell of Garam Masala wafting from the kitchen is comforting and mouth watering at the same time.

Not just taste
Whatever be the additions to the basic recipe for Garam Masala, cloves and cumin are irreplaceable ingredients. Cloves give Garam Masala the punch it carries and cumin adds to the tantalising aroma. But this duo is not all about just taste and flavour.
Cumin stimulates digestion, is good for lactating mothers, boosts the immune system, eases respiratory problems, protects kidneys and fights anaemia.
Cloves don’t lag far behind in boosting health. They too are good for the immune system. They aid heart health, help fight against cancer and keep the liver fighting fit – among other benefits.

How to store
Keep your Garam Masala in an airtight container away from heat and sunlight. If you are an infrequent user, you could store the masala powder in the refrigerator, tightly sealed to protect from moisture.
I have read somewhere that Indian cuisine has shaped the history of international relations via the Spice Trade. Well, Garam Masala is no less. In a country which has so many different culinary practices and boasts of such a variety of tantalising cuisines, Garam Masala is a big binding factor, the common thread that runs through the fabric of Indian culinary art.
Here’s a toast to taste!