Homemade Madras Curry Powder That Beats the Jarred Stuff
You will need this Indian Curry Powder Recipe if you are a serious spice lover.
- 1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper Ground
- 10 Curry Leaves (dried and crushed)
- 2 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds Ground (ground)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds Ground
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds Ground
- 1 Teaspoon Green Cardamom Ground
- 2 Teaspoon Black Pepper Ground
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger Ground
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves (dried and crushed)
- 1 Tablespoon Turmeric Ground
- Pinch Clove Ground
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon Ground
- Pinch Nutmeg (scraped (no need to dry))
- If you use whole spices, temper them first in a dry pan, a minute or two, to release flavors.
- Allow spices to cool.
- Grind whole spices in a spice/coffee grinder or mortar and pestle or small blender one by one.
- Mix all ground spices together in a bowl.
- Store in an airtight jar, in a cool and dry place. Keep away from direct sunlight.
Did you know that you can make your own curry powder from scratch?
Curry powder is a popular spice blend in many countries in Europe and Asia, and this recipe is all yours if you want to easily add flavors to your recipes.
What is Curry Powder?
Curry powder is a blend of spices. The spice blend is a British invention, from their time when they colonized India. It is said that the ground blend of spices was conveniently transported from Madras (South India) to the West.
Curry powder doesn't exist in India, and people in India won't know what it is if you ask them. Today, the rest of the world, however, loves this spicy seasoning.
Types of curry powders exist, such as the Japanese, German, Caribbean, Thai, Vietnamese, and British curry powders, to just name a few.
The most basic blend is the so-called Madras curry powder, and this recipe is a Madras version of the yellow powder blend.
To make your own homemade curry powder, you will need a set of spices. I recommend you use whole spices, but you can make it with ground spices too.
Entire spices are more fragrant when you toast and grind them, and that can make your spice blend all the more amazing!
- dried curry leaves
- cayenne pepper
- coriander
- cumin
- brown or black mustard seeds
- green cardamom
- black pepper
- dried ginger
- dried fenugreek leaves
- turmeric
- clove
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
I don't recommend skipping any of the spices. Each completes the spice blend. Curry leaves grow on the curry tree. It's commonly used in India to season curries. Don't skip it!
- If you have to dry the fenugreek and curry leaves, dry in a dehydrator or in the oven only.
- You can use ground spices too. In that case, just mix all the ground spices together.
- Some spices do not need to be dried to grind them, such as nutmeg. Just scrape off with a nutmeg grater or a knife.
- It is always better to use quality whole spices, to temper them, so to release the aroma and to prepare smaller batches instead of larger quantities. This is because the quality of spices, and their flavors, deteriorate in time, especially ground ones.
Uses
Add a dash or a teaspoon of curry powder to your soups, stews, curries, and sauces. Here are some quick ideas:
Add some to your cream cheese, a little into your bread dough, or season your meat, seafood, and vegetables with it.
How to store your spice blend?
Keep it in an airtight glass container with a lid. Glass so that you can see your curry powder and you don't forget about it.
How to make a mild or spicy, hot version?
Reduce the quantity of cayenne pepper for a mild curry powder. To make it more hot and spicy, add more cayenne pepper powder.
Is Garam Masala the same as Curry Powder?
No, it's not the same. Garam masala is a popular and very common brown-colored spice blend in India. The combination of quantities of spices is different from curry powder.
