With the weather getting colder and colder, we’ve swapped salads and barbecues for soups, stews and curries. My children’s all-time favourite is chicken korma and we tend to have it once a week. I’m now on a mission to widen my arsenal of mid-week dinners, just because we always tend to have the same thing again and again (and again): carrot soup with crusty bread, chicken korma and chorizo pasta. We do love these dishes, but I like varying what we eat from time to time. The Sri Lankan curry powder recipe I am sharing today is quickly becoming one of my favourite ways to quickly put together a dinner everyone will actually eat.
I am no curry expert, but I love tucking in to a good, fragrant curry and I’ve always made sure my children were exposed to as many textures and flavours as early as possible. Crevette can handle the heat of chillies but the girls are not fans, especially Jumpy, who compares the tingling of chilli spice in her mouth to what happens when she has an allergic reaction. Now I can understand that this kind of sensation would be quite unappealing.
Rather than completely giving up on spicy food with the girls, I decided to move away from chillies for a bit and try a different kind of heat and explore other spices that give food a kick without the tingling sensation on the tongue or throat.
This Sri Lankan curry powder recipe is hotter than what the children are used to, but the kick comes from black pepper rather than chilli powder and it’s easily made milder with a spoonful of yoghurt or cream, so it’s suitable for the whole family.
Although I’m not a big fan of fresh coriander, I love the delicate flavour roasted coriander seeds add to spice mixes, since it’s the main spice in the Sri Lankan curry powder, it naturally appeals to me. Cinnamon also adds a discreet layer to the spice blend and I love black pepper, which brings the whole mix together. I don’t normally like the taste of Cardamom, but in this recipe, you have to crush the pods so you can extract the seeds inside, and dispose of the pods.
The beauty of this curry powder is you can make it ahead and simply store it in a dark cupboard in a sterilised glass jar or airtight container for a couple of months. If you follow this recipe, you will have enough curry powder for at least 5 curries.
This little Sri Lankan curry mix can then be used with meat or in vegan curries as and when you need it. My favourite way to use it is in our easy one-pot Sri Lankan Chicken Biryani curry.
Quick & Easy Sri Lankan Curry Powder Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Coriander Seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Cumin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
- 1/2 tablespoon Black Mustard Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Cloves
- 1 tablespoon Cardamom Seeds spilt the pods and only use the seeds
- 1/2 tablespoon Fennel Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Nigella Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
Instructions
Place a dry pan over a medium heat. Once warm, dry roast all spices apart from the cinnamon and turmeric. Keep roasting for three or four minutes, stirring constantly until the spices start to brown. Do not leave the spices unattended as they would easily burn.
Once cooled, place all spices including the turmeric and cinnamon into a blender or pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder.
Recipe Notes
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place and use as needed.
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Oooh I have all the spices so I can’t wait to try this. I love the sound of it with black pepper providing the heat rather than chilli.
Thanks Kate! Let me know what you think when you give it a go. x
I, too, love tucking into a good curry! These flavors sound delightful!
Thanks Mary: it really works beautifully, with lots of different flavour layers.
Wow this is such an awesome combination of spices!
Thanks Jessica
I’ve never made my own curry powder before but this looks absolutely divine! And what a great idea to get your kids introduced to interesting flavor combinations from a young age!
Thanks Vicki! Introducing them to a range of flavours and textures helped with the fussiness (most of the time) I guess.
I’m a big fan of curry, like almost to a point of obsession (ha!). I would never have thought to make my own curry spice though, but I am going to print this and stick it in my pantry so I don’t have to use store bought again;) Also, what I would give to go again to a traditional spice market in Sri Lanka!!!
Going to a traditional spice market in Sri Lanka would be amazing, wouldn’t it?
I am new to making curry but love it. I am not familiar w these spices and Wonder if you Would assist me in purchasing product online at good prices….
Thank you
Hi Stella, I bought al my spices from the supermarket. Where in the world are you? I’ll se if I can help you. Mel
In the Sri Lankan curry powder, do you measure (1 tablespoon) the cardamom pods before splitting them to remove seeds or just measure the seeds?
Thanks
Yes, I do measure the cardamom pods before splitting them. I think the cardamom would be too overpowering otherwise.
Once curry powder made, how much do I need to use for red lentil curry please?
Smells amazing! Can’t wait to use it. Thank you x
Sorry Christina, I’ve only just seen your message. I’d use a couple of tablespoons for a curry for 4 people.
Great recipe. A secret about Sri lankan cooking is that each household has their own mix, which make the food taste slightly unique.
Nigella seed is not traditionally used. Sweet cumin, which a key spice is missing. Sri lankan spice mixes are never ‘curry’, even though it’s becoming a common term. It’s real name translates to 3/5 spice mix’.
Depending on how long you roast, it can be added to different types of dishes. Very mildly roasted (10 sec in medium heat) is used (1/2 tbsp per pound) for vegetable dishes or stews. This is called raw 3/5 spice.
Brown ‘curry’ is made with spices roasted to a dark roast. This is often used with meat, 1 -2 tbsp per pound. This is called roasted 3/5 spice.
Roasted to almost black is a garnish (1/4 tsp per dish, sprinkled on top) for no-spice dishes such as ‘kiri hodi (coconut milk gravy)’ or lentil. This black powder is called ‘black / fragrant powder’s.
You can add dry roasted curry leaves for a more authentic flavor.
Chilli, black pepper, turmeric, salt are added separately, and not considered a part of basic 3/5 spice.
Oh thanks for taking the time to give me so many details, I really really appreciate it! I had no idea Nigella seed wasn’t traditionally used in a basic 3/5 spice. I love it so much I tend to add it to pretty much any curry 🙂
Wonderful. I used it in a tinned fish curry overat islandsmile.
This curry powder has such a nice punch I skipped the chilli powder in the fish curry 🙂
The fish curry recipe already had two green chillis.
I have no affiliation to the above site, or holycowvegan, which is also another great cooking site – tasty.
Am actually writing out the curry powder recipe right now, because I think it is totally worth it.
Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m so glad you took the time to do so. I love a good curry powder recipe 🙂