[Mezzaluna]

I've been exploring some spice palettes that are new to me (Thai, Indian) so I've been doing searches on Google and some recipe sites. My latest purchase is garam masala. The version I purchased today is a blend of coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, pimento (I am guessing that's what Americans call allspice), black pepper, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and nutmeg. I know there are many versions of this blend.

What I'm curious about is, how do some of you use it? Do you usually toast it or not before including it in recipes? Thanks for helping me with this exploration.