KITCHEN PRACTICE 3 — Garam Masala Timing: Early vs. Late
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Chapter: Indian Cookery 5 — Curry Architecture: Assembling a Full Curry

TASK
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Split a batch of curry base and add garam masala two ways — a
portion cooked in early alongside the other ground spices, and a
portion stirred in only at the very end — and taste the two side by
side.

WHAT TO DO
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1. Make a batch of bhuna base (Chapter 4), splitting it into two
   pans partway through, right before the ground spices go in.
2. Pan A: add a pinch of garam masala directly alongside the other
   ground spices (turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander), cooking
   it in the same way for the remainder of the base's cook time.
3. Pan B: cook the base normally without any garam masala at all,
   then finish with liquid and a simmer as usual.
4. Once Pan B is off the heat, stir a pinch of garam masala in fresh,
   right at the end.
5. Taste a spoonful from each pan.

WHAT TO EXPECT
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- Pan A's garam masala flavour should taste muted or blended into the
  general spice background — present, but not distinct or bright.
- Pan B's garam masala should taste noticeably more vivid and
  aromatic, standing out as its own clear note on top of the base
  rather than disappearing into it.
- The overall base flavour of both pans should otherwise taste
  fairly similar, since the actual difference being tested is only
  the timing of one ingredient.

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
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This exercise demonstrates directly why the chapter treats garam
masala as a finish rather than a cooking spice — its aromatic
compounds are genuinely more volatile than turmeric or ground cumin's,
and long cooking time dulls exactly what makes it worth adding in the
first place. Tasting both versions side by side makes that a real,
experienced difference rather than an abstract rule.