Equipment
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 20 g coriander seeds
- 15 g cumin seeds
- 5 g fennel seeds
- 4 g black peppercorns
- 4 g brown mustard seeds
- 2 g fenugreek seeds
- 2 g green cardamom pods
- 1 g whole cloves
- 3 dried kashmiri chilies, stems removed
Ground Spices
- 10 g ground turmeric
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 16 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 4 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Potassium
- 73 mg
- Calcium
- 30 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 14 mg
- Phosphorus
- 18 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, brown mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, green cardamom pods, whole cloves, and dried kashmiri chilies into a dry skillet.
Place the skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the spices, stirring continuously with a spatula, until they become highly aromatic and slightly darken in color, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let them smoke or burn.
Immediately transfer the toasted spices from the hot skillet to a plate and spread them out in a single layer. Let them cool completely for about 10 minutes. Grinding warm spices can create a paste instead of a powder.
Transfer the completely cooled whole spices to a spice grinder. Grind in short bursts until a fine powder is achieved.
Pour the ground spice mixture into a small bowl. Add the ground turmeric and stir until the turmeric is completely and evenly distributed.
Transfer the finished curry powder to an airtight jar. Store in a cool, dark pantry or cabinet.
Chef's Notes
- Always remove toasted spices from the hot pan immediately; residual pan heat will continue to cook and potentially burn them.
- Grinding spices while they are still warm releases essential oils prematurely, which can cause the powder to clump or turn into a paste.
- Kashmiri chilies provide a vibrant red hue and mild heat. For a spicier blend, substitute with a hotter variety like cayenne chilies.
- To revive older, store-bought or homemade curry powder, you can briefly dry-toast the required amount of powder right before adding it to your dish to awaken the dormant oils.
Storage
Refrigerator: 6 months — Store in an airtight container to prevent moisture absorption.
Freezer: 1 year — Can be frozen for long-term freshness, though room temperature pantry storage is usually sufficient.
Troubleshooting
Powder tastes distinctly bitter
Cause: Spices were burnt during the toasting phase, or too much fenugreek was used.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Toast over medium-low heat, keep spices moving constantly, and remove from the hot pan immediately once fragrant.
Spice mix clumps or forms a paste during grinding
Cause: Spices were still warm when placed in the grinder, causing their oils to release prematurely.
Fix: Spread the paste on a plate to air dry for an hour, then pulse with a pinch of cornstarch to absorb excess oil.
Prevention: Allow toasted spices to cool completely to room temperature before grinding.
Cultural Context
Curry powder is largely a British invention dating back to the 18th century, designed to evoke the complex flavor profiles of Indian cuisine for colonial expats and Western cooks. In India, regional cooks rely on custom masalas or freshly prepared spice blends tailored specifically to the dish being prepared, rather than relying on a universal premixed powder.
