In Indian cuisine the word Masala, means a mixture of spices, the word Garam, means hot. But hot in this case is not mean the heat you get from chilies but is from the heat that affects the body from other types of spice or food, such spices include cloves, cinnamon, black cardoman and and nutmeg. Generally the garam masala should be put into food towards the end of cooking and sometimes also sprinkled onto cooked meats and vegetables and yogurt also as a garnish