Easy Curry Powder Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

In a blender or food processor, combine cumin, coriander, turmeric, red pepper flakes, mustard seed, and ginger. Process to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

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.

Add the curry powder or spice mix and cook for a minute, stirring. Add the chicken or vegetables and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add 250ml water and bring to a simmer.

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.

A curry mix has a warm, robust spicy taste as a result of combining roasted and grounded coriander seeds, turmeric, cumin and chili peppers. Other spices commonly found within the blend are fenugreek, clove, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg or ginger.

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.

What makes curry taste good? ›

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.

Some would add garlic to golden onion shortly before lowering the temperature with some watery ingredient, some would add garlic with onion and some would throw it at the beginning, with some powdered spices, then add onion and fry/sautee/cook further.

For this basic, starter curry, it's not necessary to add ginger and garlic but if you decide to do so, add it to the onions, once they are soft, grate an inch of ginger and two garlic cloves crushed will be fine.

Tomatoes should be put in the last, just before adding water for stewing. The sequence for meat / chicken curries is: Whole spices (if not using spice powders) Onions.

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.

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

It is added not for the taste, but for its medicinal properties. Additionally, it lends the curry the yellowish colour. So, not adding turmeric will in effect just make the curry look blander by Indian standards, and not have any effect on the tase.

Key differences between cumin and curry

Composition: Cumin is a single spice, while curry is a blend of multiple spices that includes cumin. Flavor Profile: Cumin has a warm, earthy flavor, whereas curry has a complex flavor that can vary depending on the blend.