Indian Curry Powder

If it is kept airtight and out of direct sunlight, this curry powder should retain its fragrance for a few months.

Ingredients

10 tablespoons coriander seeds
5 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 small stick cinnamon
15 small green cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
10 dried red chillies
50 freshly dried curry leaves
1 tablespoon ground turmeric

Directions

Dry roast each whole spice separately over medium heat until fragrant, but not long enough to darken the colour as required for Ceylon curry powder. Turn out onto a plate to cool. Grind finely in coffee grinder or electric blender, or pound using a mortar and pestle. Sift through a fine sieve, pound coarse residue and sift again. Stir through the curry leaves and ground turmeric and bottle airtight.


Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)