Easy Curry Powder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make curry powder when you don't have any? ›

Mix together the following ingredients together in a small bowl - cardamom, ground coriander, ground fenugreek, ground cumin, dry mustard, turmeric, cayenne powder, ground ginger and black pepper. Be sure to mix the ingredients enough until they are well combined. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

You can whip up a quick, easy, healthy and delicious curry using curry powder or it can be used as a marinade or rub too.

Whether you may be familiar with the differences between curries from various countries, such as Indian versus Japanese curry, and perhaps even know how to make them at home, there's a special flavor enhancer that you may not have thought to add: honey.

Curry powder's main ingredient is turmeric, which gives it that signature yellow tint but not a lot of taste. The blend's mild flavor is credited to spices such as fenugreek and cumin, as well as coriander. The recipe for garam masala can vary by region but is sweeter and more pungent than curry powder.

Curry paste is a wet ingredient made with fresh chilies. It must be dissolved into a liquid during the cooking process. Curry powder is a dry ingredient that must be activated with a liquid or oil. It does not include fresh chilies, so it will be much less spicy than a curry paste.

Ultimately both curry powder and masala are blended spice mixes that can be added to food to pack a spicy and aromatic kick. In the end, the difference boils down to the different mix of spices, masala being more of a warming aromatic blend and curry powder being more of an earthy blend.

Curry powder is a mixture of spices with a bright golden hue and a complex flavor. It can be made with a variety of spices, usually including turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and chili pepper. Other common additions are ginger, black pepper, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and fennel seeds.

Cook chicken curry for a classic curry powder dish.

This is one of the most popular meals using curry powder. Cook ingredients like onions, garlic, tomatoes, and the curry powder in a large saucepan before adding the chicken. By adding a little water, your chicken curry will become juicier as it soaks up the spices.

How much curry powder should I use? ›

The amount of curry powder you need to use will depend on how you're using it. If you're using it as a rub/seasoning, start with about 2 tsp. per pound of meat. If you're adding it to a yogurt marinade, we suggest adding about 2 Tbsp.

Use a sprinkling of curry powder to add flavor to oven-baked potatoes or baked sweet potato fries, or get more creative by making curry-spiced “carrot fries,” made from shoestring-cut carrots seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, and curry powder.

Fixing cooked curries and gravies is no less than a challenge, but a simple way to do so is by adding freshly chopped herbs like coriander, basil, fenugreek leaves, spinach, mint leaves. The fresh flavour of these herbs can instantly elevate the taste and texture and give them a health twist.

You can give a curry depth by adding umami goodness. Umami is one of the basic five tastes and is often described as a meaty, savoury deliciousness that deepens a dish's flavour. Natural foods that peak umami taste receptors include tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and roasted spice.

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric.

The difference in flavor profile and heat level means that it's not a good idea to substitute curry paste for curry powder. If you're hoping to cook a traditional Thai or Indian dish, this substitution would throw off the flavors in your final dish.

Curry powders are made with a variety of bright yellow spices including, turmeric, coriander, cumin, chili pepper, and curry leaves.

Curry paste is not a substitute for curry powder or vice versa. Curry paste is ideal for Thai-style curries but the flavor profile does not match what is expected of an Indian-style curry.