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garam masala

(gə räm′mə sä′lə, gär′əm-)

a hot spice mixture, usually of ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and pepper, used in Indian cooking

See garam masala in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A seasoning made by blending dry-roasted, ground spices, such as black pepper, cumin, cloves, and cardamom, used in the cooking of northern India.

Origin:

Origin: Urdu garm maṣāliḥ, garam masālā, hot spices

Origin: : garm, garam, hot, burning (from Persian garm, from Middle Persian, from Old Persian garma-, in garma-pada, entrance of the heat, month name; see g^wher- in Indo-European roots)

Origin: + maṣāliḥ, masālā, ingredients, mixture of spices (from Persian masāleḥ, from Arabic maṣāliḥ, pl. of maṣlaha, benefit, from ṣalaḥa, to be good; see ṣlḥ in Semitic roots)

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