The western world has come to rely on curry powder as a convenient one-stop shop in the spice cabinet. With some of the most prominent Indian spices present, curry powder delivers Indian flavor without the fuss. Try this homemade curry powder recipe and experience the aroma and flavor of freshly roasted and ground spices!
Ingredients:
Coriander Seeds – 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds – 1 tbsp
Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Black Peppercorns – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Ginger Powder – 1 tsp
Method:
1. Dry roast whole seeds in a heavy bottomed pan on low heat until lightly golden and fragrant (approximately 10 minutes). Stir continuously.
2. Transfer seeds to a plate and allow them to cool completely.
3. Grind seeds to a fine powder using a spice/coffee grinder.
4. Add remaining powdered spices and mix well.
5. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months (use within one month for optimal flavor).
Try this Curry Powder recipe with: Chicken Curry in a Hurry and Chicken Curry with Spinach. For vegetarians, you can replace the chicken with paneer. You could even use it in Egg Curry or use it to spice up marinades for meat or vegetables.
I really appreciate you sharing this recipe! I’ve always wanted to make fresh curry powder myself, and now I can!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I’ve always wanted to make my own fresh curry powder now I finally can!
Excellent recipe! This could change my habit of ordering food from outside to cooking at home.
This informative post provides a comprehensive guide to making your own homemade curry powder. While the specific curry powder blend may not be mentioned in the post, you can use Esme’s Curry Powder – Medium as a flavorful option for this recipe. The step-by-step instructions and combination of spices allow you to customize the intensity and flavors of your curry powder according to your preferences. Making your own curry powder gives you full control over the ingredients, ensuring a fresh and authentic taste in your dishes. If you’re looking to enhance your culinary skills and enjoy the aromatic flavors of curry, this blog post is a valuable resource to create your own homemade curry powder, using Esme’s Curry Powder – Medium for a delightful result.
It was really helpful and informative.
It was really helpful and informative. Honestly, I was able to prepare without much complexity. Thanks for this wonderful instructions.
I am learning so much from your videos. Can you please tell me how to find red chili pepper powder? I have paprika, cayenne, chipotle, ancho, etc., but know those are probably from the wrong chili. If I go to an Indian grocer, is there a certain kind of pepper that will be powdered or will it be clear what red chili powder is?
Red chili powder is a pretty generic term (especially in Indian cooking). Even at the Indian grocery store, you will find all kinds of chili powder, from mild to extra extra hot. Just choose one that is to your taste level and preference. The chili powders that you mention do have a specific flavor, but most of the ones you find at an Indian store will work — that is, make your food spicy.
Hello Beautiful Ladies,
I love curry but I do not like any heat whatsoever. Is the red chili powder hot at all? If so, is there something I can use to replace it that has no heat but similar flavor?
Thank you, David
Hi David,
If you are really against heat, you can definitely leave out the chili powder (the one benefit of making this at home). If you visit your local Indian grocery store, you will find either Kashmiri Mirch or Deggi Mirch. These are red chili powders that have flavor but little heat – they are mainly used for their red color. Please note that the black pepper will also add just a tad bit of heat as well.
Hi there, my sister brought me back green curry powder from India when she was there this summer. Is it safe to assume that i don’t need any other spices to add to my curry dish when i make it? Thanks, mclaurin
Hi McLaurin,
hmmm…we’ve never tried green curry powder. Like with garam masala and other spice mixes, curry powder has a little of many different things. Sometimes, the recipe requires a little more of one thing or the other – that’s when you would have to add additional things. The best way to test out the theory is to add only the curry powder and taste the dish…if something is missing, you can add more coriander or cumin powder or chili powder, etc.
Thank you very much for posting up videos but I was wondering if you could do more videos on how to do masalas like chaat masala, garam masala, ect….
Thank you!
Hi! Can u pls tell me the brand of the spice grinder u use and where I can purchase one. I didn’t see it on your on-line store. Thx!
Hi Lux,
Premier makes a great spice grinder but it also comes with the blender portion too.
Hello Hetal and Anuja,
I know the word masala in general terms means spice mixture. Have you ever heard of “black masala”? If so, what is it and how is it used?
Exploration of a culture so different from ones own, through food, is so much fun and you end up with something tasty in the end.
Thank you for this website. Rich
Hi Rich,
Black masala is another name for Goda Masala (common in recipes from the state of Maharastra, India). It is similar to garam masala in that it is a mixture of many different spices that are ground into a fine powder, but the combination of spices is different.
Thanks, this was easy to make, even with an old school mortar and pestle. I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but your curry powder made a great chicken salad (the kind with raisins, nuts, and mayonnaise). Not a very authentic use but it sure is tasty!
Hi Lauren,
That’s great! “Authentic” is not a word we like to use that often. We are all for experimenting and creating new flavors :).
Hi! great show. Very well presented. Thanks.
Question? What is the rule of thumb for doubling or increasing the spices?
Hi Karen,
Most powdered spices can be doubled or increased proportionally to the recipe. Whole seeds like mustard seeds or cumin seeds can also be proportionally increased but sometimes the dish becomes too “seedy”. If you are not a big fan of seeds, you can scale it down a bit.
Hi Ladies,
I’m just starting out on Indian Cooking because I am married to a wonderful Indian Man. I follow your website blindly and most of my recipes turn out good. The ones that don’t turn out good are a part of my bad :-D. I need to know the answer to some keq questions – why is that you use a non-stick pan sometimes and a stainless steel one other times(like the one in this recipe) for indian cooking? For the Indian gravy dishes like Smbhar,curry, would a stainless steel sauce pan work? Does food stick to the stainless steel pans?
Hi Helen,
A rule of thumb we follow for non-stick is that we do not use it for dry roasting. Non-stick works well for dry vegetable dishes and allows you to use less oil. For gravy dishes, stainless steel works great and the food does not stick as there is already enough liquid. Hope that helps!
Thanks. That was a useful tip. So I can now get a couple of non-stick pans and a few steel ones.
Hi Hetal & Anuja,
Many thanks for sharing all your tasteful and delicious recipes. I have tried almost many of them and each time your recipes turned out with great success. All your measurments are so accurate that these days I never google search for recipes, instead just land up on your website. In fact, I am so used to your website that, if I wont find what I am looking for, then I end up not doing that dish.Now, that I get loads of swede in UK and I would like to try some dish/curry/bhaji out of it but I did not come across any recipe in your blog.Hence, please could you suggest some cooking idea from swede.
I look forward to hear from you soon and I hope my swede’s which are in fridge right now will be in m cooker soon.
Many thanks once again for all your support and good suggestions all the time.
Kind regards,
Sindu
Hi Sindu,
We’re happy to hear that SMTC is useful to you :). Unfortunately, we do not have any recipes for swede. We will put it on our “long” list to do. Thanks.
I barely knew cooking At the time of my marriage and it lead to the friction in relationships.Thanks to your recipes,i am able to improve cooking and my life.
Thanks Vanita! Glad you are finding our show useful :).
Hi Anuja and Hetal,
Thank you for your awesome recipes. I know this question is totally off the topic of food, but i was wondering what type of makeup you girls use. You both look so fresh and natual. I have such a hard time finding makeup that doesnt look artificial and that matches our indian skin tone.
thanks
Thanks for the curry powder recipe.I think that MDH guys just cant match the flavour of home made curry.
Hello Aunty,
I like the spice Grinder sooooooo much and how much it cost?
The cost of the grinder we are using is approx $135. It comes with other larger jar attachments as well, not just the spice grinder.
This curry pwd looks great, but plz let me know in which/what dishes can this be used? M in a fix.
hi guys
have been an ardent fan of ur website. love watching ur videos and experimenting… i have a request if u can show us to make Appams.. would be obliged if u could plan it..
lots of wishes
Hi Nups,
We have appams on our list to do. Thanks!
thank you..eagerly waiting 🙂
Hi Hetal and Anuja
Thanks for this recipe .. I came back to India … and was wondering what to do about this curry powder thing .. (although I brought 2 bottles) .. I had loved the recipe u showed “Chicken curry in a hurry” … now I can make them often .. as and when required … superb ….
Hi Bindu,
So, you’ve moved back permanently?
One of the best cooking sites for indian food. I enjoy watching your shows a lot. One constructive feedback…if you want to take it. I believe…the basis of cooking is to suit once taste buds. So it goes without saying… u can add more of something or less of something to suit the taste buds of the people cooking plus for who they are cooking. But you keep repeating in almost every show… that u can more of this spice or less of that to suit your taste. It is very redundant… and it makes the show a little boring because you keep repeating it way too often in almost all the shows. Again… these are my own views. U can take it or leave it. Keep up the excellent work.
I think they try to keep each video separate. This helps people who have not watched the other videos. Anyway, they say that for chillies, etc. Online repition is not a problem. I am sure it helps people who are not familiar with these ingredients.
We value constructive feedback from our viewers. We repeat things because we cater to people with a wide range of cooking skills, some who are absolutely brand new to cooking. Also, we now have over 400 videos so we never know which one people will see first. Hope that explains why we do what we do. Thanks for your support.
Hetal!
You have good taste. I have the same one from Banana 😉
Hi Desigirl,
Great minds think alike! 😉
Anuja, very pretty top. Your hair looks so long and beautiful.
Hetal, like your hair in a pony tail.
ditto! I have the same comments. Anuja’s dress and Hetal’s top are very simple but pleasant looking. Both of you look vert nice in this video.
Curry powder is fine too 😀
Thank you for the compliments!
hetal you look sooooooooo beautiful
Thanks! 🙂
Would like recipe for the punjabi garam masala too. Thanks!
btw hetal you look awesome today…stylish yet simple
Thank you 🙂
Agreed 😀 You guys carry off the simplest looks with such poise!
Also, your kids were ADORABLE! Lucky kids…lucky mommies 🙂
Thank you for the compliments Krithika!
With this curry powder what kind of dishes we can make ?? pls add it under the recipe.
Done! 🙂
Thanx dear. Now i can explore recipes with curry powder.
Wonderful homemade curry powder…more flavorful n convenient…
Sana
http://creativesanyukta.blogspot.com/
please give us the recipe for tea masala. Many thanks!!
Hi Shasha,
Tea masala is on our list.
thank you for this recipe, but how about cinnamon and cloves?
Hi Shasha,
We usually use garam masala for the more intense spices like cinnamon and cloves. We like this to be milder version.
What do you use this curry in…in what preperations do you use this curry powder?
Hi Deepa,
We have a couple of chicken dishes that use this powder: https://34.233.61.50/non-vegetarian/chicken-curry-in-a-hurry.html and https://34.233.61.50/curries/chicken-curry-with-spinach.html. For vegetarians, you can replace the chicken with paneer. You could even use it in Egg Curry or use it to spice up marinades for meat or vegetables.
hi can i use this to make sambar?
Hi Roshni,
Though some of the ingredients are common, sambar powder has other ingredients as well. This curry powder will not work for sambar.
I am grateful to you for showing this recipe,I always wanted the fresh version of the curry powder, now boy! I can make my own & fresh.Truly thankful.
I really can not thank you enough for the curry powder recipe, very often I has to discard the powder within a very short span of time..it was dull & no taste nor smell. This could help me doing a small amount at a time.
Little tips go a long way !!!!& thank you.
Hi Hetal and Anuja,
pls tell me which mixie brand have u used and is this also called MADRAS CURRY?reply.
PARUL
Hi Parul,
If you read the ingredients for the different curry powders available, you’ll see that each brand has its own different mix of spices. We believe that Madras curry powder is a bit on the spicier side (more red chili) and sometimes it even has curry leaves.
Our mixie is a Premier.
Hi Hetal and Anuja
thanks for this wonderful recipe…just a question…is this the same as what they call Madras curry powder??
Hi Manasi,
If you read the ingredients for the different curry powders available, you’ll see that each brand has its own different mix of spices. We believe that Madras curry powder is a bit on the spicier side (more red chili) and sometimes it even has curry leaves.
Looks like the curtain is gone!!!!!!!!
Chai masala recipe please………..
hi ladies,
thanks for giving this recepie…..is ginger powder an optional one or is it must to add it.
Hi Manju,
The ginger powder does add a unique level of flavor but if you don’t have it, you can leave it out. You can always use fresh ginger in your recipe but the powder somehow has a slightly different flavor.
Is this curry powder the same as panchporan?
Hi Sasha,
No, panch phoran is a different blend of spices and the spices are usually used whole.