Have you ever added a spice too early and wondered why your curry tasted... flat? Not bad, just not quite right? There's a good chance the answer is garam masala. I'm Varsha, and I run a free community called The Indian Cooking Club, where we teach people to cook real Indian food at home using just 7 everyday supermarket spices no fancy equipment, no hunting down rare ingredients. Garam means warm. Masala means a mix of spices. It's a blend of warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, sometimes a pinch of nutmeg or star anise. Here's the bit that surprises people: there's no real recipe for it. Every family has their own. Growing up, there were no measuring scales our mums just knew the spices so well, a handful of this, a pinch of that. Most of the time, it goes in right at the end, just before serving, like a final layer of flavour over everything else. A few dishes are the exception I add it earlier for things like butter chicken or my flavoured basmati rice. The one rule that never changes: never add garam masala, or any spice, straight into hot oil. It burns, and burnt spices turn bitter instead of warm. In the community, you'll get: - The other 6 spices explained the same way — what they are, when to use them, and why - Beginner-friendly recipes that use just those 7 spices - A space to ask questions and share what's working (or not) in your kitchen - No jargon, no gatekeeping — just real Indian home cooking, simplified If any of that sounds useful, come join us it's completely free: skool.com/everyday-indian-cooking-9801