I was away in Dallas... Sorry for the lateness.
Garam Masala does literally mean warming spices.
It is used whole (in forms of seeds and stalks and dried leaves) in the begining of cooking or as a powder at the end.
When it is used as a powder in the end, a very little amount is used. The reason is that as it cooks, the powder gets to be bitter.
If you visit my website, you can learn more about spices and also get a recipe for garam masala.
www.suvir.com
Also you can find several recipes there under regional cooking or recipes.
You can also go to
www.egullet.com and visit the India board. You will find several more current recipes there.