Curry Powder is easy to make at home with spices you might already have in your pantry. With just a handful of warm spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and red chili powder, you can mix up your own fresh curry powder to use in your favorite dishes.
Making your own spice blends to use in recipes is easy and a great way to control the flavors in the dishes you make. One of my favorites to make is curry powder – you only need six ingredients, and you might already have them on hand.
Yes, buying premade curry powder is easy but making it yourself has several benefits. You can customize the blend to your tastes. You can adjust the spice level, so it’s the perfect balance for you. Finally, it’s a great way to put your signature on a dish to make it entirely your own. The recipe will have a unique flavor when you use your spice blend to make it.
What is curry powder?
The term “curry powder” is a generalized one that refers to a spice blend made with ingredients commonly used in southern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The name “curry powder” is actually a western one, with the earliest uses originating in Britain.
There’s no one curry powder recipe – there are countless variations, although most share some similar ingredients. Not just the ingredients vary but also the amounts, especially the heat. There are mild to very spicy curry powders and everything in between.
Curry powder is not the same thing as garam masala, which is a type of spice blend used in Indian cooking and other regions of South Asia. Curry powder has turmeric as the main ingredient, and garam masala doesn’t, although they share some other spices like cinnamon and cumin. Overall, though, the flavor profiles are different, and they don’t taste the same.
What’s in it?
As I mentioned, there are too many curry powder recipes to count since it can be customized in so many ways. I’ve been experimenting with my own blend for quite a while and have my own recipe that I like that includes these spices:
- Turmeric
- Red chili powder
- Cinnamon
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Mustard seed
I’ve shared the specific measurements in the recipe card, but keep in mind you can adjust the amounts to your taste. You might want to change the red chili powder amount – add more if you want the powder really spicy or cut back on the amount to make it milder.
How to Make Curry Powder
To make things easy, I like to use ground spices instead of grinding my own. If you want to grind your own, look for the whole spices and use a spice grinder to grind them yourself.
If you go with ground spices, it’s as simple as mixing them up and storing the new mix in an airtight container.
This curry powder recipe makes one cup. I keep mine in the pantry, but any cool, dark place is a good storage spot. The most important thing is to keep the curry powder away from direct sunlight and heat.
I think it’s best to use up the curry seasoning within three or four months. If it’s stored longer than that, it can start to lose its flavor and freshness.
How to Use It
I use it all the time when I make chicken curry or seafood curry. You can also use it in different kinds of stews, soups, sauces, and as a seasoning for vegetables. Or, use it in marinades. Curry spice is a little sweet and savory at the same time and goes with a lot of dishes and ingredients. I hope this recipe inspires you to skip the premade version and start making your own. It’s so easy to do and a great way to give your favorite curry dishes a flavorful upgrade. I hope you like it as much as I do.
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Curry Powder Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons turmeric
- 3 tablespoons red chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons coriander
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 3 tablespoons mustard seed
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix together completely.
- Store in a sealed jar in your spice cabinet. Makes on cup of curry powder.
Notes
- There are many ingredients you can use in curry. Adjust to your taste and go spicier or less spicy.
Nutrition
With just a handful of warm spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and red chili powder, you can mix up your own fresh Curry Powder to use in your favorite dishes.
Mel is an IT guy turned blogger and is discovering his love of cooking and photography. If you ever have Fantasy Football questions, he's your guy.
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