Spice up Your Granola with Garam Masala

Garam masala is a magical spice blend because it can be used in sweet and savory recipes. The name literally translates to “warming spices” because it contains a blend of spices that, when combined, adds a very complex and deep layer of flavor meant to warm the body.

The spices used to make garam masala can vary depending on the recipe and region, but it typically contains cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and cardamom. It’s primarily used in well-loved Indian recipes such as chicken tikka masala and butter chicken, but can be used in any recipe where a boost of sweet, spicy and savory flavors is welcome.

This gives us an opportunity to think outside of the box and get creative with recipes when we’re cooking at home. Before we can do that though, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of taste and flavor, and how and when to use herbs and spices. This knowledge will help you unlock your cooking potential by giving you the tools needed to add complex flavors to your recipes.

A great example is the use of salt in a recipe. Salt is one of the most important ingredients we use when cooking because it makes our food taste good and allows for the other flavors in your recipe to shine, but salt can come in many different forms. It shows up in fish sauce (my favorite!), soy sauce, capers, olives, anchovies and Parmesan cheese to name a few. Using any one of these ingredients in addition to salt will take your recipe to that next level of complexity. My favorite example is in tomato sauce. You know when you taste and taste your tomato sauce and it needs something else to take it from good to great, but you don’t know what that special ingredient is? This is where you open your toolbox and try a splash of fish sauce in your tomato sauce or allow a Parmesan cheese rind to simmer in your sauce. Or perhaps you finely chop a few anchovies and stir them in at the end. It adds a boost of salt, but it also adds a well-rounded flavor.

We use those same tools when thinking about spices. Garam masala contains a couple different spices we would use in baking, so why not use it your baked goods? It does change the flavor of the recipe, but it’s delicious and has people asking “what spices are in your oatmeal-raisin cookies?” or “why is your granola so amazing?”

I make homemade granola on a regular basis because I love sprinkling it on my yogurt in the morning. And, have you seen the list of ingredients on a box of granola? It’s a bit frightening, so I just make my own so I know what I’m eating. It’s a very simple and customizable recipe because you can use any nuts and dried fruit you like. Pepitas and raisins are my staples.

We went to visit our daughter at college last weekend, and I brought her some homemade granola and pumpkin bread. For the granola, I used equal parts of cinnamon and garam masala and the end result was perfect! The cinnamon comes through, but you also get a subtle taste of those warming spices that pair perfectly with vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit.

Garam Masala Spiced Granola

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Active time: 15 minutes

Start to finish: 45 minutes

2 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats

1/2 cup flaked unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup nuts of your choice

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried fruit

Vanilla yogurt

Fresh fruit of your choice

1. Preheat the oven to 325º and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut and nuts.

3. To prepare the syrup, heat the honey, brown sugar and oil over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, whisking to dissolve sugar.

4. Stir in the cinnamon, garam masala, salt and vanilla.

5. Pour the warm syrup over the oat mixture and toss until well coated.

6. Evenly spread the granola on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes. Using a silicon spatula, stir the granola and bake for 10 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

7. Break the granola up into some large and small pieces, and stir in the dried fruit.

8. Spoon the yogurt into cups or bowls, top with a sprinkling of the granola followed by the fruit.

They key to being a well-rounded cook and to gain the confidence to cook without recipes, is to learn the secrets of successful flavor combinations. One way to accomplish this is to attend our popular Flavor Dynamics class on Sunday, December 1. In this class, you’ll gain an understanding of the five basic tastes - Salty, Sweet, Bitter, Sour and Umami - and how to use herbs, spices, oils, vinegars and aromatic ingredients, which will allow you to be a more creative cook inspired by your own palate.

We also cover this information in our five-day Culinary Boot Camp course. On day five, we engage the students in an interactive demo to create an enriching experience loaded with information. Don’t miss these tried-and-true educational opportunities!