Bengali Gorom Moshla

As a rule of the thumb, if a recipe calls for whole gorom moshla (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves) to "temper" the oil, you can safely use powdered Bengali gorom moshla as a finishing spice to complement and enhance the flavours built earlier. Think of the whole spice–infused oil as the "base note", and the powdered gorom moshla as the "top note" that livens up the dish.

The whole spices are first gently heated to “awaken” their flavours. This needs to be done with care, and constant monitoring, to ensure that the spices are heated just enough to remove their moisture, but not so much that the spices start “roasting” and caramelising—we want to preserve the fresh vibrancy of the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, etc., here!

The simple, elegant, three-ingredient Bengali gorom moshla is ideal for vegetable preparations (dalna, ghonto), and certain dals, khichuris, polaos. It is often used as a finishing spice in combination with a teaspoon of ghee. Shahi gorom moshla is best reserved for more robust onion-ginger-garlic based meat or fish recipes, such as korma, kaliya, chaap, etc.

Our Bengali gorom moshla is 63% green cardamom, just how my mother likes to make it. That is what gives it the best, brightest, and most no-compromise flavour. A lot of the commercially available gorom moshla blends hesitate to use green cardamom in large quantities, or indeed in its entirety, pods and seeds. This is because green cardamom is expensive as HELL. (If you go over the ingredients lists of some gorom moshla blends in the market, you’ll find cardamom shells instead of whole cardamom in use.) Our Bengali gorom moshla uses good, whole cardamom pods, which makes it super-potent! You won’t ever need to add it by the spoonsful (in fact, it is strongly advised that you don't!). All you need is a pinch or two to sprinkle at the end of your cooking.

Those familiar with South Asian cooking of any kind have heard of the spice blend known as “garam masala”. But a region as culinarily diverse as this, spanning the countries India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc., cannot possibly have a single "garam masala" concoction used across the length and breadth of its cuisines. Each region has its own custom composition.

Garam masala, generally speaking, is a type of spice mix composed of a number of individual spices, which, when ground together lend a rich, warming flavour to the dish (the word "gorom"/"garam" literally means “warm”).

This warming effect, of course, is no real quality, but a wholesome, all-enveloping sense of warmth and comfort one experiences after consuming, for example, fresh cinnamon rolls, eggnog with nutmeg, tea with ginger and honey, or a roast with a peppery sauce. [Fun fact: the now-famous pumpkin spice is also a type of garam masala!]

Indeed, all the spices in the examples listed above—cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, ginger—and many more besides, are part of different garam masalas in varying proportions.

“Gorom moshla” is the Bengali transliteration of “garam masala”, reflecting how the term is pronounced in the Bengali language.

We are working towards bringing the spices to as many viewers as we can. But we want to expand sensibly and sustainably (we are a two-person team!), maintaining quality, freshness and integrity. Meanwhile, you can easily make all our spices for yourself at home. The recipes are all up on our YouTube channel.

Store the spices in an airtight jar, away from direct sunlight or humid environments. Refasten the lid/seal after use. To maintain freshness longer, avoid scooping the spices with a wet spoon or damp fingers. If making them at home, grind in small batches that can be used up within 2–3 months, and don't forget to label your containers with the date of preparation!

All our spice mixes come with a fleet of recipes that you can use them in, but there is also room for experimentation. To use our spice mixes in your own recipes, start by adding a small amount to your dish and adjust according to your taste. They can be used in marinades, rubs, or added to the pan directly when cooking.

Well, it ranges from ¼ tsp (in case of gorom moshla) to as much as 4 tbsp (in case of nihari)! Please see the usage instructions on our website. If following one of our recipes, it should clearly specify the amount. But when in doubt, err on the side of caution; add a little at first, and adjust as you go. Your milage with respect to heat level may also vary.

All the spices mixes themselves are fully plant-based. With the exception of the vindaloo and nihari moshlas, all other spices mixes can be used in, or adapted for, vegetarian dishes. Gorom moshla is great for vegetable gravies; bhaja mosha for chaats and raitas; kochuri torkari moshla for curried potatoes and shingara; and vegetable chop moshla for, well, vegetable chops. Our tandoori moshla can be used with paneer, tofu, capsicum, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. Biryani moshla can be used in a beautiful khushka.