Classic pico de gallo with a warm garam masala lift—bright, crunchy, and a little mysterious in the best way.←Back to Taco Topping Recipes
2 cup ripe tomatoes, 1/4 in (6 mm) dice
0.25 cup red onion, finely minced
1 jalapeño jalapeño, seeded and minced
0.25 cup cilantro, chopped (lightly packed)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
0.5 tsp garam masala
0.75 tsp kosher salt
Macerate: Toss onion and jalapeño with lime juice and salt; rest 5 minutes to mellow.
Fold: Add tomatoes, cilantro, and garam masala. Stir gently so tomatoes don’t bruise.
Taste: Adjust salt or lime; the spice should be a whisper, not a megaphone.
Mild option: Use 1/2 jalapeño or swap with a few grinds of black pepper.
Chef's Notes
Garam masala means "warm spice blend" in Hindi, and every Indian grandmother has her own secret ratio. Most commercial versions include some combination of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, and black pepper, but the exact proportions vary wildly between brands and regions. MDH, Shan, and Everest are common Indian grocery brands worth trying; the spice aisle blends at regular supermarkets work too but tend to be milder. Start with a light hand (half teaspoon) because garam masala should add intrigue, not dominate. If you want to go full taco wizard, toast whole cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant (30 seconds), crush them roughly with a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan, and fold them in. The perfume of freshly toasted spices is transformative. The macerating step (onion and jalapeño resting in lime juice and salt) mellows raw onion's harsh bite and lets the flavors start blending before everything comes together. This fusion makes surprising sense: both Mexican and Indian cuisines understand the power of bright acid, fresh cilantro, and complex spice layering. The cultures never met in a taco before, but they speak the same language.
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