A teaspoon of Madras Curry Powder turns a simple food into a delicious dish loaded with warm South Indian flavor. This recipe is simple and quick, customizable, and better than store-bought.
I have wanted to share my favorite blend, Madras curry powder, for a long time. And here it is. The full recipe is at the end of this post.
If you love Indian flavors and enjoy making spiced blends at home(like this chicken taco seasoning), this recipe is a winner. It’s super easy, flavorful, and much more economical than store-bought. Once you have all the ingredients, you can whip it up effortlessly anytime.
Simply dry roast the Indian spices like red chilies, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, and peppercorns, and turn them into a flavorful spice mix.
This spice curry powder gives all the flavors you expect from authentic Indian-style food. I hope you love it, too!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️Easy & quick!
⭐️Versatile: Toss into your favorite dishes for authentic Indian flavors.
⭐️Budget & Storage friendly!
What is Madras Curry Powder?
'Madras' here refers to the large South Indian region, now a city that was renamed as Chennai. This region is known for its warm tropical spices and delicious cuisine.
Madras curry powder is a rich, flavorful spice blend with a bright yellow color, warmth, and spiciness, made with unique South Indian spices.
The Britishers popularized this Madras curry powder to bring out the essence of Indian cuisine to the West, and it has become a staple in kitchens worldwide, delivering the bold flavors of Chennai.
Ingredients
- Red chili pepper is the sole ingredient in this recipe, and it provides color and heat. You may increase or decrease the quantity of red chili pepper according to your heat level.
- Coriander seeds: A unique Indian ingredient that's loaded with flavors. You can get it from local Indian or online stores.
- Peppercorns: Opt for the whole black peppercorns.
- Cinnamon, bay leaf: For the robust aroma.
- Mustard, Cumin, and Fenugreek seeds: You can buy them from the leading grocery stores. I got mine from my local Walmart in Pennsylvania.
- Ground turmeric: Optional ingredient.
How To Make Madras Curry Powder
- Heat a pan on low and add mustard seeds, fenugreek, cumin, black pepper, coriander, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Dry roast until golden brown, then set aside.
- Add a little oil and roast red chili peppers in the same pan on low heat until they change color.
- Let them cool.
- Add the roasted spices, chilies, and ground turmeric to a blender jar. And blend into a fine powder. And store it in an airtight container for future use.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
This is moderately hot, and the red chilies in this recipe determine its heat.
You can adjust the amount of red chilies in this recipe to customize the heat to your preference.
The Storage
Store this Madras curry powder in an airtight container on the kitchen counter in a cool, dry place for up to four weeks.
To store longer, refrigerate to use up to six months.
How To Use
- Curries & Soups: Try this Madras Lentils and Indian salmon curry. You'll feel like you're in an Indian restaurant at home.
- Meat & Veggies: I use it as a fish, shrimp, and chicken rub. While cooking vegetables, sprinkle this Madras mix according to your preference(try this spicy roasted butternut squash and curry mac and cheese).
- Dips & Chips: Add a pinch to your dips and make the curried versions. Check this curry aioli and curry almonds for ideas.
FAQ
Both offer distinct flavors and are commonly used to flavor up the food.
But, Madras curry powder has a bold and intense flavor, whereas garam masala has warm and aromatic flavors.
The key ingredients in Madras curry powder typically include fenugreek seeds and peppercorns, whereas garam masala is made with cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, nutmeg, and other spices.
You can substitute red chili with Kashmiri red chili to retain the color and reduce the heat.
Is it necessary to roast the spices before grinding?
Yes, this is the most crucial step, as it builds up its natural flavors by releasing essential oils, resulting in a flavorful curry.
More Spice Blends To Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know your thoughts in the 📝 comments section below the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Madras Curry Powder Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ tsp black mustard seeds
- ¾ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup coriander seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup red chili pepper /10
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- In low heat and to the pan, add black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, coriander seeds, bay leaf, and cinnamon.
- Dry roast them until they shrink slightly and turn to a golden brown.
- Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, drizzle vegetable oil, and add red chili peppers.
- In the low heat, roast until it changes its color.
- Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Add all the ingredients to the blender jar, and also ground turmeric.
- Grind all the ingredients, using a heavy-duty blender or a spice grinder.
- Store in a airtight container for future use.
Notes
- The heat level can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the amount of red chilies to suit personal preference.
- Store Madras curry powder in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to four weeks or refrigerate for up to six months for longer shelf life.
- This spice blend is versatile—use it in curries, soups, roasted vegetables, meats, dips, or as a seasoning for snacks like curry almonds and curry aioli.
Ruxana says
Flavorful Curry powder..
Sujatha Muralidhar says
Thank you Ruxana.
Paula says
this curry powder was so delicious with fish last night!
pepperbowl says
Great to hear! Thank you Paula!
Dina and Bruce says
We love this blend. It is so fresh and the aroma is amazing!
pepperbowl says
Happy to hear your feedback Dina and Bruce!
Dannii says
I use this so much, so I was really happy to find out how to make it myself. perfect flavour.
pepperbowl says
Thank you Dannii for sharing this kind review!