Curry powder

Flavour and aroma

earthy, warm, turmeric, mildly hot. Earthy, warm, mildly hot.

Heat

Very mild

Forms

ground

How to use it

• bloom in fat · Tadka (tempering) technique

  Always cook curry powder in oil or butter with the onions for 1–2 minutes over medium-low heat before adding liquid; raw curry powder tastes dusty and harsh.

• dry roast · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) technique

  Caribbean and Sri Lankan cooks often toast the powder in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes until a shade darker for a deeper flavour; stir constantly to avoid burning.

• Quick curries and coronation chicken
• Japanese kare raisu
• Jamaican and Trinidadian curry goat
• Cape Malay bobotie
• Singapore noodles

Identifying good quality

A yellow to orange-brown fine powder; turmeric gives the colour. 'Mild', 'medium' and 'hot' labels refer to the chilli content. Caribbean curry powders are often more turmeric-heavy and include allspice.

• Not to be confused with Garam masala: Garam masala is an Indian finishing blend of warm spices with no turmeric, usually added at the end.
• Not to be confused with Madras curry powder: Madras curry powder is a hotter variety.

Origin and history

Origin: Britain, as a commercial product based on South Asian spice combinations.. Grown and used: Used in British, Caribbean, Japanese, South African, Southeast Asian and German cooking..

Curry powder was developed by British traders and cooks to reproduce Indian dishes, and was sold commercially in Britain from the late 18th century. It spread through the British Empire and beyond: it is the base of Japanese kare (introduced in the Meiji era), Jamaican and Trinidadian curry, Cape Malay dishes and German currywurst, invented in Berlin in 1949.

Commonly told; not firmly documented

In masalas, pastes and sauces

• Thai yellow curry pasteMasala4 g per batch
• Japanese curry roux (homemade)Masala18 g per batch
• ChakalakaSauce6.2 g per batch