You can use this in any curry that calls for curry powder or garam masala
I get emailed recipes all the time by people in India wanting me to try their favourite family recipes. Sure beats using those waste of space celebrity cookbooks!
I was sent a recipe recently for a chicken curry from Tamil called Kuzhambu chicken curry. The recipe calls for a spice blend which I doubled to try in another south Indian curry. It is really good. You could also use it as a dry rub for barbecuing.
This recipe makes enough for two curries that serve three to four . I think after you’ve used it, you’ll be making more like I did.
As with all spice blends, it is a good idea to roast each of the different spices on their own like I do in my garam masala recipe here. The reason for this is that some spices roast faster than others.
That said, I don’t always have the time or the will to do this so I roasted them all together. To be honest, I don’t think you’ll taste a big difference either way. 🙂 At least you will be roasting your spices which is a lot more than you can say about most commercial brands.
Toasting the spices, rice and lentils.
Toasted and ready to grind.
I highly recommend the Waring Professional Spice Grinder for making curry powders.
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How To Make Tamil Curry Powder
Ingredients
- 8 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon broken rice (raw)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 x 3cm cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon split gram lentils
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Place all of the spices in a dry frying pan over medium heat.
- Be sure to move the spices around so that they roast evenly.
- Remove from the heat when the spices become fragrant and warm to the touch.
- Cool the spices and then grind into a fine powder using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
The Waring Professional Spice Grinder is available from my sponsor Nisbets. It is the best I’ve ever used.
East End Foods Sponsors my blog. I highly recommend their top quality spices.
B Meridew
Friday 28th of April 2023
You include coconut as an ingredient, but in what format please? Is it: Desicated, Powder, Creamed Milk Fresh Other?
Please elaborate
Great recipe. Thank you
Dan Toombs
Thursday 4th of May 2023
You can use dedicated coconut for this one. Thanks Dan
minnie@thelady8home
Sunday 19th of July 2015
Tamil curry powders are mindblowing. I love eating curries at my Tamilian friends' places, especially when they use home made curry powders. Their chutneys are equally good. Thanks for sharing this.
Dan Toombs
Monday 20th of July 2015
Thank you Minnie. Dan