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Homemade Indian Curry Powder Spice Mix

Published -Sep 18, 2018 Update -Sep 1, 2020 Veena AzmanovWords - 2130 words. About 11 minutes to read this article. This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and other sides. This blog generates income via ads.

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Homemade Indian Curry Powder Spice Mix

Make the most exotic blend of spice mix for your next Indian feast. This homemade Indian curry powder spice mix is a special blend with just the right mix and match in flavor and balance. Not too smoky and not too spicy. Personalize it with suggestions I give in each recipe and create the best Indian curry you ever tasted for your next meal.

Nothing beats the fragrance of fresh homemade spice blends. This special blend for homemade Indian curry powder spice mix is one of a kind. A recipe you will love and should have in your pantry always if you enjoy Indian food. A few teaspoons of this spice mix is all it takes to make a simple curry from good to finger-licking delicious.

If you have ordered curry powder before then you know that there are no two curry powders alike. It's true! In India, these change by the state and sometimes by the cultural background.

So, if you buy one brand today and then buy another brand a few weeks later your curry will be so different. A word of advice - if you find a brand you like - take a note of it and make sure you are loyal to it so you won't be disappointed. But you can also be adventurous and take a chance. You might just prefer the next one better than the first.

This slow cooker Indian chicken curry recipe will surprise you because it's so simple, easy and effortless. Ten minutes of hands on work and three hours unsupervised slow cooking will give you this beautiful deep red curry you can enjoy over a bowl of rice or just simple crusty bread.

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (18)

Chicken Curry, Indian, Quick and Easy in just 15 minutes

Quick and Easy Indian Chicken Curry (1)

This spiced meatball curry is packed with Indian flavors thru and thru. The meatballs are juicy, tender and soaked in a curry that is flavored with exotic Indian spices and creamy yogurt. It's simple, easy and very authentic.

Indian Meatball Curry

Lamb Rogan Josh34

From scratch

Have you been using my wonderful Indian recipes? I'm so happy some of you have had great success with it. One of the questions I most get asked is - how do you get such a beautiful deep red color for your curries. Well, the secret is my homemade curry powder spice mix and homemade garam masala spice mix.

Yup, I make my own and I always have made them from scratch using whole spices. In fact, when I make my curry powder I make a big batch and then send a few out to my friends as well. A few of my friends would rather have me give them my spice mixes as gifts.

Now, I'm born Indian so Indian food is not just close to my heart but in my blood. And if there is anything I learned and learned well from my mom is the importance of good spices. I am ashamed to say that there are times when I have slacked and used store-bought powders to create my curry powder blend but when I learned from mom it was the use of whole spices, toasted lightly and then ground in the spice blender.

The traditional spice mix methods.

Having grown up as an Indian girl, one of my childhood memories is that mom would make spice mixes for the whole year and of course to sell these to her customers. Did you know that making spice mixes if done properly can be a huge job! I know, because I've seen my mom go through this process every year.

It was a ritual and the process took about two weeks for her.
She would buy large quantities (like 20 kgs)of different types of chilies and large quantities of lots of other spices. I clearly remember one of her spice mixes had a mix of 32 different spices and it was so popular that she has customers from the overseas place an order for a few months in advance.

These whole spices were dried out on the patio under the natural sunlight on a huge sheet.
Every day for a week she'd bring them out in the morning - toast them in the sun the whole day and then take them back inside the house in the evening. After one week - the next step was to dry roast them and she'd do that outside the house on an open fire in a huge wok-like pot. The smell of those whole spices and chilies use to be so strong, she'd have to send us away to my aunt's house for the day. Once these were dry roasted then they go to a special shop with a spice mill (because they were large quantities these could not be done in a home spice blender)

The finale

When the spice mix was ready she'd fill them in sterilized dry spice jars and sealed with a cloth and string to make sure they stayed fresh for the whole year. After which she'd send the orders out for delivery.

Yup, that was a lot of work and I never understood why she went thru all that trouble until I started making my own spice mixes. Y'all the flavor and smell you get from the freshly ground spices is second to none. Don't think I'll ever work as hard as my mom to make spice mixes but I do make my own at least. My sister did make my mom proud because she still makes and even sells a few of my mom's spice mixes (because they are so popular locally).

About this curry powder spice mix (Save/Pin)

There are a few things according to me that are worth taking note of. Unlike Moroccan food, Indians like to use fresh ginger in their food. So the use of ground ginger is kept to the minimum. Cinnamon does not belong in curry powder it belongs in garam masala. A strong flavor of cumin is very characteristic in Moroccan spices, not Indian curry powder. Coriander, however, is more Indian both in powder and fresh form. My mom's rule of thumb was one part cumin, one part turmeric, two parts coriander, two parts cayenne is a good basis for curry powder. Everything else is up for customization. Now in my previous post, we spoke about the differences between curry powder and garam masala so I think you have that information here as well.

So in this recipe, you will get my take on Indian curry powder spice mix. The blend is just right and not overpowering but the color is just what you want. A deep beautiful red color that begs to be eaten. Some of the most popular recipes on my blog that show off this curry powder beautifully are slow cooker Indian chicken curry, Beef mince curry, Slow-cooked lamb masala, slow-cooked Indian beef curry, Indian chicken curry in 15 minutes, Kidney beans curry. Ah well, I better stop but you can find my Indian recipes here

Useful Tips and Tools

A coffee grinder or spice grinder is very useful if you plan to make these from whole spices. The food processor does not really grind spices very fine. So, if you choose to make these from whole spices, please use a good coffee grinder. And if you make a larger quantity (for example to give as gifts), let the coffee grinder rest in between every 10 minutes. They usually have delicate motors (I have broken two spice grinders so far- sigh).
You will also need mini bowls to measure the spices first. I prefer to have all the spices measured out first - cause once you start mixing there is no remembering which one is left out (don't ask me how I know that).
Spice mixes are best stored in spice jars to ensure they stay fresh. Never leave them open on the counter.
Also, measuring spoons are worth the investments. Trying to estimate the amount of spices in a spice mix is never a good strategy.

How to make homemade Indian curry powder spice mix (Save/Pin)

For the ground spices

Measure all ground spices
Combine them all in a small jar
Close the lid and give it a good shake.
Voila - your homemade curry powder spice mix is ready to use.

For the whole spices

Have all your ingredients measured out
Place a frying pan on low heat for a minute
Once hot - add all the whole spices in a hot pan.
Keep the heat on low and light shake the pan to toast them.
You will start to get the spices to give out a beautiful aroma.
Take it off the heat and let cool until barely warm.
Place all the whole and powder spices in a spice blender (yes you need a spice blender or coffee grinder)
Pulse it a few times until finely ground
Pour them into a spice jar.
Your curry powder is now ready for use.

Storage

Always store the jar airtight to ensure the flavor of the spices is sealed in well.
Ideally, these spices have a long shelf life as stated by the supermarkets - but it's best to make a note on the jar so you know when its time to make a new batch.
Read the expiry date on the powders you used - choose the one with the earliest date as a guide.

Lamb masala also called mutton masala is a classic Indian meat dish with a distinct flavor and aroma. The process is simple, easy and effortless with exotic Indian spices that make this dish a true success. Weather you eat it with Indian chapati naan or plain white rice this dish is to die for.

Slow Cooked Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala

Social Media Optimized Image for Slow Cooked Indian Beef Curry Recipe aka Slow Cooker Beef Curry made with authentic Indian Spices

Slow Cooked Indian Beef Curry or Slow Cooker Beef Curry aka slow cooker beef curry

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This beef mince curry is an Indian classic made with peas. Very similar to a chili with mince meat and beans but here we use frozen peas instead. This simple, easy and effortless mince meat recipe is made using popular curry powder and garam masala which means you do not need a full stocked Indian Pantry.

Indian Mince Beef Curry (19)

Frequently asked questions?

Can I use chili powder instead of curry powder?

Chili powder is just one spice but curry powder is a blend of many spices, so you won't get the same flavor and taste to your curry with just chili powder.

Can I make curry powder for one single curry?

Yes, you can - for a quick curry with 500 grams chicken try
1 tbsp coriander powder,
1 tsp cumin powder,
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp sweet or hot paprika

Is curry powder the same as garam masala?

Curry powder is a spice blend on its own. Garam masala is another spice blend made with warm spices similar to your gingerbread or pumpkin spice mix. This is added in addition to your curry powder. Adds flavor and warmth to the curry.
You can make a curry without garam masala spice but not without curry powder. So while having two of these are good. The garam masala though quite authentic can be omitted.

Is yellow curry powder and red curry powder the same?

Quick often yes. The yellow would have more turmeric powder while the red will have more red chili or cayenne powder.

Can I make the curry powder less spicy?

Absolutely, just substitute the chili or cayenne powder in the recipe with sweet paprika instead. That way you maintain the red color but much less spicy.

Is paprika the same as chili powder?

Paprika is ground red peppers usually made with one brand of peppers - sweet, mild, or hot.
Chili powder is usually made with a few different brands of chilies. Often a mix of sweet, smoked, spicy. The hot chili powder has more of the spicy chilly like the Indian Bedki while the sweet chili powder has more of the sweet chilly like Indian Kashmiri chilies. Some blends will emphasize more on the rich red colors. In India, we do get a large variety of chili powders.

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