Root Beer Baked Beans

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4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large white onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Two 12-ounce bottles root beer

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons molasses

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

Hefty pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon garam masala, store bought or homemade, recipe follows

Four 14-ounce cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Aarti's Hot (not heavy!) Homemade Garam Masala:

3 large cinnamon sticks (if you have the kind you get at Indian stores, it's about 3 tablespoons of cinnamon bark bits)

3 tablespoons whole cloves

1/4 cup green cardamom pods, shelled, husks discarded (about 2 tablespoons of seeds)

4 large black cardamom pods, shelled, husks discarded (about 1 tablespoon of seeds), optional