Everyday curry powder (British-style)
Vegetarian
A balanced, turmeric-gold curry powder of roasted coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard and pepper with a little chilli and warm spice. A homemade version of the all-purpose curry powder that British cooks have used since the 18th century — not an Indian masala, but its own tradition.
Everyday curry powder (British-style) is a British condiment from United Kingdom, ready in about 25 minutes and made with coriander seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric. It serves 44 and is rated easy to cook.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Rest
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 44
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 7
Method
Step 1
Weigh everything. Keep the fenugreek (opens in a new tab) and mustard seeds (opens in a new tab) apart from the larger seeds — they are smaller and denser and colour faster.
Step 2
Heat a heavy dry frying pan over medium-low heat. Roast the coriander, cumin and peppercorns (opens in a new tab), shaking the pan constantly, for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and a shade darker; the coriander should just begin to crackle.
- 4 min
- medium-low heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
Step 3
Tip them out. Add the chillies, cinnamon, cloves (opens in a new tab) and cardamom pods (opens in a new tab) and roast for about 1 minute until the chillies are crisp and the cardamom smells sweet.
- 1 min
- medium-low heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Roasting chillies gives off pungent fumes; ventilate the kitchen and keep your face back from the pan.
Step 4
Lower the heat and roast the fenugreek (opens in a new tab) and mustard seeds (opens in a new tab) for 1–2 minutes until the fenugreek is pale gold and the mustard starts to pop. Take them off the moment they colour — burnt fenugreek makes the whole batch bitter.
- 2 min
- low heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)
Step 5
Tip the spices onto a cold plate and let them cool completely, about 10 minutes, before grinding — warm spices release oil and turn pasty in the grinder. Crack the cardamom pods (opens in a new tab) and keep only the seeds.
- 10 min
Step 6
Grind the cooled spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder in short bursts, shaking between pulses. Sift through a fine sieve and regrind any husky bits.
How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels Step 7
Stir in the turmeric (opens in a new tab) and ground ginger (opens in a new tab) until evenly gold. Spoon into a jar, seal and label with the date.
About this dish
- Origin
- United Kingdom · Commonly attributedReady-ground 'curry powder' was a British commercial creation of the late 1700s, modelled loosely on South Indian spice mixtures; there is no single authentic formula. These proportions are a typical home adaptation, not a historical recipe.Also popular in Japan, South Africa, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, AustraliaMore food from United Kingdom
- Dish
- Condiments, chutneys & relishes
- Cooking method
- Toasted
- Taste
- aromatic / warmly spiced, earthy, spicy (chilli heat), bitter
- Diet
- Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carbWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-sodium · DASH-style - Good for
- Make-ahead · Budget-friendly · Batch cooking
- Cook more with
- Coriander seeds · Cumin seeds · Turmeric · Fenugreek · Mustard seeds · Black peppercorns
- Techniques
- Roasting · Toasting · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) · Dry grinding
Allergens
- Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
7 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 2 g · recipe makes 44
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 14%
- Carbohydrate 55%
- Fat 31%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 7 kcal | 334 kcal |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 13.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.2 g | 58.3 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 0.6 g | 30 g |
| Sugars | — | — |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0.6 g | 28.3 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 14.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0 g | 1.5 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 59 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0 g | 0.1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 30 mg
- Calcium
- 11 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 1 µg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 0 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- For a hotter 'Madras-style' powder, double the chillies or add 1 tsp cayenne after grinding.
- Always fry curry powder briefly in oil before adding liquid; raw curry powder tastes dusty.
Common mistakes
- Roasting the small fenugreek and mustard seeds with the coriander — they burn before the coriander is done.
- Roasting the turmeric, which turns it dull and bitter.
- Grinding while warm, which gives a damp, clumpy powder.
Serve with
- Use in Jamaican curry chicken or curry goat, Trinidad curry duck, Japanese curry rice, kedgeree, mulligatawny, bobotie or currywurst sauce.
- Stir a teaspoon into mayonnaise for coronation chicken.
Food safety
- Store in a clean, completely dry, airtight jar away from light and heat; always use a dry spoon. Ground blends lose aroma steadily after the first month.
Storage
- Airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard for up to 3 months; it is still usable at 6 months but noticeably flatter.
Variations
- Hot (Madras-style) curry powder: Double the dried chillies and add 1 tsp cayenne; a little more black pepper gives the classic sharper British 'Madras' heat.
- Caribbean curry powder (Jamaica): Increase the turmeric and add 1 tsp ground allspice (and often a little star anise) as in Jamaican and Trinidadian blends.
- Japanese-style curry powder (Japan): Add a pinch each of star anise, fennel and dried orange peel, and use less chilli, for a sweeter blend suited to curry roux.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
About this masala
- Type
- Dry spice blend
- Texture
- Fine powder
- One batch makes
- about 88 g
- Keeps
- about 3 months
- Store
- Airtight jar, cool dark cupboard
- Recipe
- Adapted
Britain (Anglo-Indian curry-powder tradition). Makes Curry powder, the ingredient our dish recipes list. All masalas
Used in
Amounts are each dish’s own quantity, for the servings it is written for. “Make enough” opens this recipe scaled for that dish.
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- Chakalaka1 tbsp · 6.2 g for 6 servingsMake enough
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- Currywurst1 tbsp · 6.2 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Doubles2 tbsp · 12 g for 4 servings (2 doubles each)Make enough
- Jamaican beef patties3 tsp · 6.2 g for 10 pattiesMake enough
- Jamaican curry chicken3 tbsp · 19 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Jamaican curry goat3 tbsp · 19 g for 6 servingsMake enough
- Japanese curry rice2 tbsp · 12 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Japanese curry roux (homemade)18 g · 18 g for 4 blocks (about 32 g, each thickens about 200 ml stock)Make enough
- Jollof rice1 tsp · 2.1 g for 6 servingsMake enough
- Kari ayam3 tbsp · 19 g for 5 servingsMake enough
- Katogo with beans1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servings · optionalMake enough
- Kedgeree2 tsp · 4.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Khao soi gai2 tsp · 4.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Maharagwe (coconut bean stew)1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Mas riha2 tbsp · 12 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Mchuzi wa samaki1½ tsp · 3.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Mee goreng mamak1 tsp · 2.1 g for 3 servingsMake enough
- Mshikaki1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Mulligatawny soup1½ tbsp · 9.3 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Ndizi nyama1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Potjiekos1 tsp · 2.1 g for 6 servings · optionalMake enough
- Roti john1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Sadza ne nyama1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servings · optionalMake enough
- Seychellois octopus curry2 tbsp · 12 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Sri Lankan beetroot curry1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Sri Lankan chicken curry2 tbsp · 12 g for 5 servingsMake enough
- Surinamese roti kip3 tbsp · 19 g for 6 servingsMake enough
- Thai yellow chicken curry2 tsp · 4.1 g for 4 servingsMake enough
- Thai yellow curry paste4 g · 4 g for 7 tablespoons (about 15 g each)Make enough
- Trinidad curry duck3 tbsp · 19 g for 5 servingsMake enough
- Zambian chicken stew1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 servings · optionalMake enough
- Zanzibar pizza1 tsp · 2.1 g for 4 pizzasMake enough
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
The spice and seasoning backbone
Spices, masalas & pastes
- Coriander seeds, dry-roast until a shade darker and fragrant30 g
- Cumin seeds, dry-roast with the coriander15 g
- Fenugreek, seeds, dry-roast separately and gently until pale gold — no darker or they turn bitter5 g
- Mustard seeds, dry-roast with the fenugreek until they start to pop5 g
- Black peppercorns, dry-roast with the coriander5 g
- Dried whole chillies, about 4 small dried red chillies, stemmed; lightly roast until crisp5 g
- Cinnamon stick, broken into pieces; lightly roast3 g
- Cloves, about 8; lightly roast1 g
- Cardamom, green pods (about 8), lightly roast, then seeds only2 g
- Turmeric, ground, raw — stir into the warm ground spices, do not roast15 g
- Ground ginger, raw — mixed in after grinding5 g
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