Heritage Ratios vs. Commercial Blends: The Numbers Tell the Story

A typical commercial garam masala might contain 60% coriander seed and 20% cumin by weight. The remaining 20% is divided between cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, and bay leaf. The coriander-heavy ratio produces a mild, approachable blend that offends no one and excites no one.

The 1947 Ratio

The recipe we use for our Garam Masala is based on a handwritten notebook kept by a family of cooks in Lucknow from the 1940s. Their ratio has a markedly higher proportion of black cardamom and black pepper than any commercial blend we have seen. The result is a masala with genuine depth — warming, slightly resinous, and complex rather than simply aromatic.

“The cheap spice in a blend is always the one that fills space. The expensive one is always the one doing the work.”

— Mohanlal Verma, spice merchant, Khari Baoli

The Cost Equation

Green cardamom costs roughly 15x what coriander costs per kg. Black pepper runs 8x. A heritage ratio that uses more of these spices and less filler will naturally cost more to produce. This is not a premium — it is arithmetic.

• Coriander: Rs 90-110/kg
• Cumin: Rs 200-280/kg
• Black Pepper: Rs 650-900/kg
• Green Cardamom: Rs 1,800-2,400/kg
• Saffron: Rs 2,50,000+/kg

What to Check on the Label

Indian labelling law does not require ingredient percentages on spice blends. But it does require ingredients to be listed in descending order of weight. If coriander and cumin appear first, the blend is filler-heavy. If cardamom, pepper, or cloves appear in the top three — you are looking at a quality product.