Madras Curry Powder
A fragrant and versatile Madras curry powder with a blend of roasted spices, including coriander, cumin, and curry leaves. Perfect for your fave Indian dishes as well as desi-inspired western dishes, like curry aioli for dipping your fries and whatnot into!
Servings: 0.5 cup
Calories: 224kcal
Cost: $2.50
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
- 1 whole star anise
- 4- inch cinnamon or cassia bark
- 10 whole cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 4 dried Kashmiri chiles or byadagi chilies
- 20 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon asafetida
Instructions
- Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. After 2 minutes, when the pan is hot, toast the whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, and brown mustard seeds. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes until they start to crackle and pop and release their aroma.
- Add the whole star anise, cinnamon (or cassia bark), green cardamom pods, black peppercorns and Kashmiri chilies to the skillet. Continue toasting the mixture for another two minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the curry leaves, turmeric and asafetida. Let the curry leaves slightly dry from the heat of the pan for 10 minutes as the contents of the pan cool.
- Grind the spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder, high-speed blender, or mortar and pestle.
- Transfer the ground spice blend to a jar for storage, placing the lid on the jar only when the curry powder has cooled to room temperature.
Notes
🌶️ Perfect Toasting, Not Burning
Lightly toast spices to enhance their flavors. Use controlled low-medium heat, especially with thinner pans, to avoid darkening or bitterness.
🌀 Blend Like a Pro
A high-speed blender ensures a fine, complex curry powder for larger batches. A quality blender can make a big difference and Blendtec has been my go-to for over twenty years.
❄️ Cool Down for Quality
After toasting, let spices cool to room temperature before grinding. This prevents moisture from causing clumping and extends the spice blend's shelf life.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 31mg | Potassium: 854mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1441IU | Vitamin C: 409mg | Calcium: 412mg | Iron: 16mg