Learn how to make the most amazing roasted curry powder, which is the base for many of my flavor-packed curry recipes! This Sri Lankan roasted curry powder is deeply aromatic and has very robust and complex flavors.
The ingredient ratios are easy to remember (4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1), so go ahead and make a big batch and use it any way you like to make flavorful curry dishes! Here’s how to make AUTHENTIC Sri Lankan Curry Powder!
Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
Everyone (or at least most people) has their go-to recipe, their go-to meal, the one that they love to make, the one that’s a breeze to make, the one that they use the word comfort to describe.
For me, that would be a curry. A Sri Lankan curry to be exact. I have lived most of my life outside of Sri Lanka, but my childhood is inextricably linked to everything that is Sri Lanka. Especially Sri Lankan food. Oh, the food! Nothing hits the spot for me quite like a Sri Lankan curry, and that doesn’t come as a surprise, considering the staggering amount of flavor one could coax out of a well-made curry. Everything else pales in comparison.
And at the heart of all that is the roasted curry powder.
I’ve never had a shortage of authentic Sri Lankan curry powder (including the store-bought variety), until we moved to where we live now. Since then I’ve taken matters into my own hands, and if you’d like to smell and taste the magnificent aromas and flavors of a straight-up, authentic Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, then you should truly make it yourself.
It’s easy, the spices and flavors are more pronounced, and the aromas will make you swoon (quite literally – I do recommend that you crack open the window or door, or have some decent ventilation, because for someone not used to these aromas they can be both incredible and a little overwhelming).
And here’s why my roasted curry powder is different from any other recipe out there – the recipe is super easy to remember! The ratios are easy to remember – 4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1.
That’s 4:3:2:1 in tablespoons and 3:2:1 in teaspoons.
Coriander seeds are the main spice in Sri Lankan roasted curry powder. Another is black pepper (as opposed to chili powder). Black pepper is what gives this roasted curry powder its heat. However, most people also use a lot of chili powder when they make curries which obviously adds to the heat. So here are the ingredients and the ratios.
Tablespoons (15mL tablespoons)
4 Coriander
3 Cumin
2 Black Peppercorns and 2 Uncooked Rice
1 Cardamom pods (you will only use the seeds – about 12 – 15 pods)
Teaspoons (5 ml teaspoons)
3 Cloves
2 Mustard seeds
1 Fennel Seeds (heaped)
Some curry powders also include curry leaves, but I prefer to add them straight into the curry!
As you can see, a good curry isn’t all fire and brimstone – it’s got a lot of subtle, fragrant yet robust spices that add a lot of delicate and nuanced flavors.
This Sri Lankan roasted curry powder is first roasted till it’s nice and toasty, and then ground to a find powder. Dry roasting spices can transform an otherwise not especially exciting spice into something a lot more intense and complex with great depth of flavor. Such roasted curry powder is typically used in meaty dishes – where the meat can withstand that robust curry flavor.
With more delicate meat like fish or seafood, you would use UNROASTED curry powder (which has a more delicate flavor), with the addition of a little more fennel and an acidic component like tamarind or lemon/lime. For example, I use the unroasted version of this curry powder to make amazing fish curry and prawn curry (shrimp curry).
With a curry powder this simple to make, you can easily make bigger batches too. And once made, you store it in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.
Here I have used US tablespoons which measure 15 mL, but you can use the UK version of tablespoons too which are sometimes measured at 20 mL. This would lead to slightly different spice ratios, but that’s OK, because that’s the beauty of a curry powder – there’s no one magic ratio that has to be followed as a rule. Each person, each family can have their own version that suits their preferences better with a little more of this and a little less of that and so on. This is my Sri Lankan roasted curry powder and it’s the base for a lot of my favorite curries (like this Spicy Green Apple Curry). And it’ll soon be yours too! 🙂
Also note, that I used green cardamoms as seen in the photos. Black cardamom is much larger than green cardamoms and have a different taste. They are not interchangeable in this recipe.
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Sri Lankan Roasted Curry powder
Ingredients:
- 4 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp basmati rice
- 2 tsp cardamom pods you will only use the seeds from the pods, about 12 – 15 pods
- 2 tsp whole cloves about 10 -15 cloves (see notes)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
Instructions:
- Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and discard the husks.2 tsp cardamom pods
- Place the rice on a dry non stick pan. Heat over medium heat until the rice starts to turn light brown.2 tbsp basmati rice
- Add the rest of the spices and the cardamom seeds to the rice, and pan roast for a further 3 – 5 minutes until the spices start to brown, toast and become aromatic.4 tbsp coriander seeds, 3 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 2 tsp whole cloves, 2 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- Keep moving the pan to prevent the spices from burning. Also adjust the cook times according to your stove and pan, to avoid burning the spices. Or your curry powder will be bitter.
- Remove from the heat and let the spices cool down.
- Once the spices cool down – use a spice grinder (or a mortar and pestle) to grind the spice mix into a powder in batches and mix well. Store in an air tight container.
- Use as needed.
Tips & Tricks
Unroasted curry powder
Unroasted curry powder is the same as this, but the spices are not toasted in the pan. They are simply placed in a spice grinder and pulsed until finely ground.Notes about cloves
The ingredient ratio here is more of a guideline. If you don’t like cloves, please feel free to leave them out or add less. The cloves I typically use are large, and I can only fit a few in 1 teaspoon. If your cloves are smaller in size, reduce the amount accordingly. The same goes for other spices as well.Which spices are the most important?
Coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom. Other ingredients can be left out if you don’t have them, or reduced to your liking. You can also use yellow mustard instead of black/brown mustard, if that is all you have.What is my curry powder is bitter?
If you find the curry powder to be bitter, it’s most likely because you toasted the spices for too long and burned them. It can also be bitter if your spices have gone rancid (especially mustard).How long can I keep this?
Ground spices don’t retain their freshness as well as whole spices. This is why I prefer making batches of this when needed. Every time I make the curry powder, the longest it has lasted in my kitchen is 2 weeks before I need a new batch, but usually I make this once a week. I make a double batch because we make a lot of curries at home. I personally prefer making small batches every time to keep each batch fresh.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
If you’re a fan of flavor-packed curries and Sri Lankan food, then you may love these recipes too!
Lahiru says
Thank you so I,this is helpful.
Cindy jay says
If using powdered cardamon, how much would you use? A tsp?
Dee says
I have most of these spices but in powdered form. Would it still work?
Dini says
Hi Dee
Yes that should work!
Whole spices ground are the freshest, but I have used ground spices in a pinch and it’s been good too 🙂
Dee says
Thanks! Also, should I still roast it even tho i’m using powdered spice? Thanks!
Dini says
Hi Dee
There’s a risk of burning the spices when using powdered spice, so I would either skip it or only do it very lightly.
I hope that helps!
rajalingam says
i loved this recipie. my late mum wrote it down for me, but i lost it. even yours i lost it. glad to have found it mum. my curries are great and taste better. my friends compliment me and want me to make more . your photos make my mouth water!
Soren Rasmussen says
Great curry – pungent and packed with flavours.
But why do you put uncooked rice in – what do they contribute with?
Dini says
Hi Soren!
The rice acts as a mild thickener and stabilizer for curries. However, its not a crucial ingredient and can be left out too.
Pola says
This is, by far, one of the most flavourful curry powders I’ve ever worked with. So incredibly delicious, and versatile! I started with your chicken curry, but it’s great with roasted/mashed aubergine and so many other curries and recipes. Favourite spice mix in my cupboard!
Colin says
Hi having my first attempt at making a Sri Lankan curry chicken tonight, this is a trial run if successful I’m doing it for an 80th party next week with the vegan option the cashew curry (16 people) any tips for making large amounts,
Thank you
Colin
Dini says
Hi Colin!
I’m sorry for the late reply!
If you are cooking for 16 people, the biggest tip is to go a little easy with the spices and liquid. You don’t necessarily have to multiply the amount of spices or liquid by the same factor (though I would increase the amount of chicken for 16 people). Taste the curry once the chicken is cooked and add more if you would like more flavor. Same with the liquid, add more liquid (water or coconut milk) if needed. Curries are very forgiving and very versatile, so you can adapt the taste as you go 🙂 I hope that helps!
Tessier says
Thank you very much for this recipe! I’ve scouted the internet for the best instructions on how to make Sri Lankan curry powder and I’m going to try out yours soon:) Please, could you give an estimate on how long it takes to brown the rice in the pan? More like 5 mins, 10 mins, or 20 mins?
Also, in other recipes, I saw that the spices were roasted separately, because apparently it takes different amounts of time to coax out their flavors by roasting them. Do you think this is neglegible? If not, do you have a certain order in which you add the spices in order to account for that?
Thank you and best wishes,
Tessier
Dini says
Hi Tessier
The time for the rice to toast really depends on the heat and pan that you are using. You have to keep moving the rice inside the pan, so I wouldn’t recommend leaving it unattended. I just toast the rice until parts of the brown start to turn a light brown.
With the other spices, yes they do take different times but I find it’s negligible for making small batches of the curry. If I’m making a big batch, I might toast the spices separately. I just toast the spices until they turn toasty and I can smell the spices.
I hope you love the curry powder as much as we do! 🙂
Susmitha says
Wonderful recipe…tastes awesome..very simple and easy too
Daphne says
Truly the best!!
Valerie Heath says
Hi can I use Brown mustard seeds as opposed to black, as i have a big bag of brown.
Dini says
Hi Valerie!
Yes you can use either black OR brown mustard seeds in South Asian cooking. These can be used interchangeably without any major changes to flavor.
Hope that helps!
Gwen Nicol says
Hi Dini, thanks for your recipe! I only have yellow mustard seeds, will these be ok ? XxG
Dini says
Hi Gwen!
Yes you can use that instead! Yellow mustard seeds are milder than the black ones, but I often leave out the mustards seeds if I can’t find any too. 🙂
Hope that helps!
Shurleea Harding says
I want to buy a tin of ten Sri Lankan spices in a tin fro a Christmas Present fro ` Sri Lankan family, what would you recommend?
Dini says
Hi Shurleea
I’m so sorry, but I’m not sure what you are looking for? Are you looking to make this spice blend in a tin for Sri Lankans? Or individual spices to gift Sri Lankans?
If it were me, I would always appreciate spices that I can’t always get my hands on easily, as Sri Lankans usually keep a well stocked spice cupboard. Personally I am always thrilled to get a gift of Ceylon Cinnamon or Saffron, but these spices can be pricey. Other spices could be black pepper, cardamom, bay leaves, pandan leaves.
Hope that helps! Let me know if that doesn’t answer your question.
Walter Runte says
How well does it work if you don’t roast the spices and just grind them together?
Dini says
Hi Walter!
That is fine 🙂 I store unroasted curry powder for when I make seafood curries. OR I would pan fry the curry powder that I need in the pan before making the curry. You can still cook any curry with unroasted curry powder, but roasting does deepen the flavor which is especially nice for meaty curries.
Hope that helps!
Prosper Bemunuge says
Hello! What a great recipe it was. Thousand times better than what is found in the grocery store. I made your shrimp curry using your roasted curry powder and it turned out great and delicious. Thank you for sharing the secret of making the best Sri Lankan Shrimp Curry.
Dini says
So happy you liked the curry powder Prosper! 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know!
Connor Smit says
I love your recipes! Just made this, although in the very last seconds it was on the stove I thought I smelt a slight burning.
It still smells okay now, but I’m worried that the slight burn taste will come through. What do you think? Start over or see how it tastes?
Dini says
Hi Connor! Thank you so much 🙂
It’s hard to say how much it would affect the curry powder because it depends on how much it was burnt. If it burnt quite a bit, then the curry could have that taste. However, I have burnt curry powder a little a few times when I’m cooking it too, and still got great tasting curries though! 🙂
Sian Taylor says
Can you sub the rice for something else? What will happen if its left out?
I am trying not to eat any carbs/starch.
Dini says
Hi Sian!
You can leave out the rice 🙂 It acts as a thickener for the curry, so it doesn’t really add flavor.
Hope that helps!