Inside the Spice Cabinet: Curry Powder

Curry powder is a fragrant blend of various spices, some or all of which may already be in your spice cabinet. While you can make you own, this pre-made blend is the shortcut for quick Indian flavor.

Taste: Bitter
Most Popular Use: Meat, sauce, stew

First of all, understand that curry powder is actually a blend of several spices. There is an actual curry plant, but it’s not what we think of as the curry spice. Curry powders are typically include tumeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper, with other spices thrown in depending on the brand you buy.

Not all curry powders are created equal. The blend, the proportions, and the quality and age of the spices in the blend can all be different, so keep trying new spice blends as you come across them and be discerning with where you buy your spices.

If you’ve already run the gamut of spice blends, it’s likely that there’s one particular spice within the blend that isn’t to your liking. Try making your own curry spice blend – something we recommend doing at least once anyway. Not only can you control the freshness and quality of the spices, but you also get a feel for each spice individually. With some trial and error, you can identify which spice is the culprit and can tweak the recipe to your taste.

Read More: In Defense of Curry Powder

Curry powder is widely used in Indian cooking, to bring flavor to meat, chicken, sauces, stews, soups, rice, and vegetables.

• Upside-Down Chicken Curry Bowl
• Wild Rice Bowl with Red Lentil-Coconut Curry and Spinach
• Curry Coconut Savory Granola
• Sweet & Salty Curried Popcorn