garam masala

ga·ram ma·sa·la  (gä-räm mä-sälä)

n.

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

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[Urdu garm mali, garam masl, hot spices : 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) + mali, masl, ingredients, mixture of spices (from Persian masle, from Arabic mali, pl. of malaha, benefit, from alaa, to be good; see l in Semitic roots).]

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garam masala [ˈgɑːrəm mɑːˈsɑːlə]

n

(Cookery) an aromatic mixture of spices, extensively used in curries

[from Hindi]