This is my own personal receipe for curry powder that I developed from many sources, including my favorite cookbook by Stendal and advice from a very good friend. The list has 20 different spices that i try to keep on hand, but don’t feel compelled to use them all. The beautiful thing about curry is that it really just means a mix of spices, and you get to decide.
For a real basic curry, use at least the first 4 or 5 ingredients. To expand the flavor profile, ramp up to 12-14 ingredients. Set the heat with the number of dry chilies you use. For the full experience, go for all 20:
2 Tumeric
1 Smoked Paprika
1 Ground Ginger
1 Chili Powder
1 Ground Coriander
1/2 Ground Cumin
1/2 Garlic Powder
1/2 Onion Powder
1/2 Ground Cardamom
1/4 Ground Mustard Seed
1/4 Ground Fennel
1/8 Ground Fennegreek
1/8 Ground Cloves
1/8 Ground Black Pepper
Extras:
Ground Dried Red Hot Chili Pepper
Pinch of Nutmeg
Pinch of Cinnamon
Dried Cilanto
Zatar Seeds and Herb Mix
Sprinkle of Masala
Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a wisk or in some kind of electric mixer/grinder (a coffee ginder works great, but your coffee will forever taste like curry). Once mixed, you need to “toast” the curry powder to release all the oils and extract the real flavor. To do this, pour the mix into a dry, nonstick pan on medium heat and keep it moving so that the powder heats evenly.
My original notes said “toast until smokey,” but I think that is almost too much. Just heat until you smell it; so it stinks pretty. If you see any smoke at all, it’s done! Keep in an dry, air-tight container and use often. When you run out, make some more!
Tip: You may have noticed that the list doesn’t say teaspoon, tablespoon, etc. That’s because these are just proportions. For a little, use teaspoons. For a little more, use tablespoons. For a lot, use buckets. You get the idea.