Currying Flavor – The Secret to Creating Powders and Pastes

Spices are to a curry cook what a paint pallet is to an artist. In fact, making a curry is an art, a creative undertaking limited only by the cook’s ability to balance flavors and textures. But don’t let that “creativity” scare you away. Once you understand the basics, creating a curry—even one of your own design—is as easy as painting by the numbers.

Contrary to popular belief, curry does not connote a single dish made with a common commercial spice called “curry powder.” Curry is actually a cooking style, characterized by a balanced blend of spices (curry) roasted and ground into a powder that simmers and develops flavor in a sauce. The flavor, consistency, and even the color can vary, but there are two constants: a curry is always savory, and it is always spiced.

The word curry comes from the Indian word kari, and curry dishes are synonymous with the cuisine of India, where they originated thousands of years ago. Traditional Indian curry—still prepared daily in just about every kitchen—does not have a fixed set of ingredients. But it is typically created using a mixture of the following healing spices: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, curry leaf, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seed, mustard seed, and turmeric.

In the distant past, spice traders remembered—and tried to duplicate—the redolent, full-bodied, mouth-watering flavor of Indian curry as they traveled around the world. As a result, curries became a hallmark of cuisines in many Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Indonesia, and also on some Caribbean islands. Even England, a country known for its bland food, developed a taste for curry as a result of its centuries-long occupation of India—and England now boasts more curry restaurants than any nation except India.

Over the centuries, as various non-Indian nations adopted the custom of creating curry, they also altered the dishes to reflect local culinary customs, spices, and foods. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are well known for their innovative but very different curries. Malaysia’s curries are mellow, often flavored with mint and coconut, while Thai curries are fiery, frequently flavored with lemongrass, galangal, and red chile. Indonesian curries are also hot, with coriander, cumin, and chile. Even in India, the flavor of curry changes as you travel. The Punjabis in the north, for example, eat milder curries, accented with cardamom, aniseed, nuts, raisins, and yogurt, while the Tamils in the south eat very hot curries, with mustard seed, tamarind, curry leaf, and chile.

Curry Basics

Curry dishes are made by simmering meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or vegetables in a spiced liquid, in much the same way as a French cook simmers food in wine and herbs. The process begins by frying a blend of spices in hot oil (in India, cooks often use a clarified-type butter called ghee) and adding spices again at strategic times during the cooking process. The spices can be a dry mix, or modified by adding liquid to a spice mixture and stirring it into a paste.

There are various ways to make a curry, but these are the general directions:

1. Start by sautéing basic fresh flavorings, such as onions and garlic, in oil or some other fat until they are soft. In Indian dishes, chiles and ginger are often added. Starting flavorings are always fresh and well chopped. They can include:

• Garlic

• Ginger

• Lemongrass

• Mango

• Onion

• Potato

• Shallots

• Tamarind

• Other vegetables

They are typically fried in one of the following fats:

• Vegetable oil

• Sesame oil

• Mustard oil

• Ghee

You can also forego the basic ingredients and just start with Step 2, by adding nothing but curry powder to the oil. (This is more common in Malaysian and Thai curries, which use curry paste rather than a dry mix.)

2. Add a curry powder (not commercial curry powder!) or paste. At this point in the process, additional spices of the cook’s choosing can be added as well. This is usually a combination of stronger spices—perhaps curry leaves, fenugreek seed, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, or star anise—that balance the pungency of the ingredients used in the initial frying. Let the spices simmer until they release their aroma. This can happen fairly quickly, so be at the ready to add the rest of the ingredients.

This process of sautéing the spices is very important. It should be done over a low flame, and the spice or paste should be stirred constantly to prevent sticking and burning. As the spices cook, they will start to darken and mellow. As they lose their pungency, the flavors of the different spices blend so that no one flavor is discernible. Stronger spices such as cumin, turmeric, and black pepper will take a little more time for their somewhat acrid attributes to mellow.

3. Next, add the main ingredient, with enough liquid to cover. Legumes, potatoes, or vegetables, if desired, can also be added at this point. If the main ingredient is meat or poultry, you have the option to brown it first, then remove it from the pot or pan before starting Step 1. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover and cook gently for an hour or two, depending on the type and quality of the main ingredient. A thickener can be added during this time, if desired. For a dry curry, simmer in less liquid and uncover about halfway through cooking, so the liquid evaporates. If the liquid evaporates too soon, add some water, so the ingredients do not burn or dry out.

Common liquids used in curries are:

• Broth

• Crushed tomatoes

• Coconut milk

• Milk

• Strained yogurt

Common thickeners include:

• Almond or other nut butters

• Ground seed pastes from fenugreek, mustard, poppy, or sesame

• Pureed onions

• Ground coconut pulp

• Dried Indian legumes, such as chana dal (split yellow peas) or urad dal (split white lentils)

• Lime or lemon juice

• Tamarind paste

• Vinegar

4. Finish by adding more aromatic spices. This can be a custom blend of freshly roasted or ground spices, or simply add a tablespoon of garam masala. Season to taste. Let the curry rest, covered, for about a half hour. It can be kept longer in the oven at a warming temperature of 250°F. Sprinkle the dish with fresh leaves, if desired, such as cilantro, curry leaf, or mint before serving.

Enjoy your curry!

Curries keep well in the refrigerator, and curry flavor improves with age. Your curries will benefit from making them a day or two in advance.

A curry meal isn’t complete without the addition of rice, pickles, chutneys, relishes, and (as in India) lots of breads, such as naan or chapati. Curries are spicy, even if they are not hot. The other dishes in the meal, particularly the rice, are meant to contrast the spiciness.

The Cast of Curry Flavors

Curry dishes and the spicy components that define their flavor are as varied as the cultures of the people who eat them. If your goal is to reproduce the curry of a memorable ethnic meal or favorite cuisine, keep in mind that spice rules—and because the spices are so cleverly blended, you can’t depend on your nose to figure out which ones to use. However, I can offer you plenty of help. Here is a country-by-country guide to the key flavorings that differentiate one ethnic curry from another.

India

India is the world’s seventh largest country by size and second by population, so it’s no wonder that taste preferences vary from region to region. Spice dictates how that taste is delivered. To begin, you want to have a top-quality basic curry powder that includes:

• Black pepper

• Coriander

• Cumin

• Red chile (optional)

• Turmeric

Defining the flavor comes with the additional spices used in the curry. North Indian curries tend to be mild and creamy, with nutty nuances. This can be achieved by using a combination of any of these spices:

• Almond

• Bay leaf

• Black cumin seed

• Cardamom, green or brown

• Cinnamon

• Clove

• Fennel seed

• Fenugreek seed

• Garam masala

• Garlic

• Mint

• Onion

• Saffron

• Turmeric

South Indian curries can range from hot to fiery and have a distinct scent of coconut. This can be achieved by using a combination of any of these spices:

• Black pepper

• Coconut and coconut milk

• Curry leaf

• Fennel seed

• Fenugreek seed

• Ginger

• Mustard seed

• Red chile

• Tamarind

• Tomato

• Turmeric

East Indian curries tend to be tangy. This can be achieved by including a combination of any of these spices:

• Asafoetida

• Black cumin seed

• Cilantro (fresh coriander leaf)

• Fenugreek seed

• Green chile

• Mustard seed

• Panch phoron

• Tamarind

The curries in West India tend to be hot and more on the sour side. This can be achieved by including a combination of these spices and flavorings:

• Coriander

• Mint

• Red chile

• Saffron

• Vinegar

Sri Lanka

The curries in Sri Lanka, an island off the southern tip of India, are both fiery and exotic. The spices for meat curries are roasted very dark, giving the dishes a deep, dark color. (In fact, they are often referred to as “black curries.”) Sri Lankan curries almost always include clove and cinnamon, two spices that are indigenous to the island (clove and cinnamon from Sri Lanka are considered some of the best in the world). To make a Sri Lankan curry, use any combination of these spices:

• Cardamom

• Cinnamon

• Clove

• Coconut milk

• Coriander

• Cumin

• Curry leaf

• Fennel seed

• Fenugreek seed

• Red chile

• Tamarind

Thailand

Thai curries are famous for their fire. This is best achieved by starting with a paste pounded with chiles. Use any chile that you desire, as heat is a matter of personal taste. For a list of chiles according to heat, refer to A Heart-Warming Spice. The distinct flavor that defines a Thai curry, however, comes from an interesting array of flavorings. To make a Thai curry, include any combination of these:

• Black pepper

• Cilantro (fresh coriander leaf)

• Clove

• Coconut and coconut milk

• Coriander

• Cumin

• Fish sauce

• Galangal

• Garlic

• Lemon and lime zest

• Lemongrass

• Peanuts

• Red chile

• Shallots

• Shrimp paste

• Thai basil

• Turmeric

Malaysia

Malaysian curries—the most delicate and complex of Southeast Asian—are strongly influenced by India, and contain many of the same spices. A Malaysian curry will include a combination of these flavorings:

• Black peppercorns

• Candlenuts

• Cinnamon

• Coconut and coconut milk

• Coriander

• Cumin seed

• Fennel seed

• Galangal

• Ginger

• Lemongrass

• Lime

• Mint

• Onion

• Shallots

• Shrimp paste

• Star anise

Vietnam

Vietnamese curries are an interesting blend of Chinese, Indian, and French influences. They are milder than Thai and Indian curries, and have a sweet and sour taste. To make a Vietnamese curry, use any combination of these flavorings:

• Coconut and coconut milk

• Cilantro (fresh coriander leaf)

• Fish sauce

• Garlic

• Lemongrass

• Mint

• Red chile

• Sugar

• Turmeric

• Vinegar

Frying Spices in Oil

At the start of cooking a dish with curry spices, Indian and Asian cooks routinely fry the blend of spices in oil or another fat—a different way of incorporating spices into a dish than is typically used in the US. This step is important: it releases the spices’ fragrances, creating an enchanting aroma, and the aroma lets you know that it’s time to add the next ingredient. However, doing this technique correctly can take a little practice—and you may lose a batch or two until you perfect it. Here’s how to do it:

First, make sure you have the next batch of ingredients close by and prepared to go in the pan. The spices can release their fragrance quickly, so if you’re not at the ready with the next ingredients, the spices can burn.

Second, heat the pan or skillet for a few minutes (depending on the type of metal in the appliance) over medium-high heat. Once the appliance is heated, add the oil. Let the oil get hot, to about 350°F.

Now you’re ready to add the curry mix. Pour the mix—dry or wet—into the pan and grab a wooden spoon. With your other hand, use a potholder or kitchen mitt to grab the handle of the pan or skillet. Move the pan around, while continuously stirring the spices. If necessary, lift the skillet to prevent the spices from browning. (You may need to turn down the heat.)

The process can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. You know the spices are ready and it’s time to add the next ingredients when you detect the spicy aroma.

If you are using a combination of whole and ground spices, put the whole spices in the pan first, as they will take longer to fry.

If mustard seeds are called for, put them in the pan first. They need to pop, and they don’t do so evenly in the presence of other ingredients. Have a lid handy to cover, in case the mustard seeds start to pop out.

Putting many spices in a single dish adds marvelous texture, aroma, and flavor—a flavor that isn’t found in any individual spice, and one that is craved by many people after they eat a meal in an Indian, Asian, or other ethnic restaurant noted for its spicy cuisine.

However, don’t worry about the exact combination of spices you use. In cooking with the healing spices, there are no hard-and-fast rules. If a recipe calls for nine spices and you only have six, it’s no problem that three are missing. You’ll still get a delicious dish, though the taste will be different.

Indonesia

Curry is quite popular in Indonesia, a vast island nation that includes the Maluku Islands, dubbed the “spice islands” by Dutch colonizers. Virtually every region has its own specialty. Indonesian curries contain some of the most exotic ingredients, such as manioc (cassava), salam leaf, and trassi, a type of dried shrimp paste. They often come topped with crispy fried shallots and hard-boiled eggs. Other common flavorings include:

• Caraway seed

• Coconut milk

• Curry leaf (as a substitute for salam leaf)

• Galangal

• Ginger

• Lime leaf

• Nutmeg

• Poppy seed

• Red chile

• Tamarind

• Turmeric

Caribbean

Every island has its own specialties, which vary according to local culinary customs. But most curries in the Caribbean are slightly sour, fruity, and hot. Common flavorings include:

• Allspice

• Black peppercorns

• Clove

• Colombo powder

• Coriander seed

• Cumin seed

• Fenugreek seed

• Ginger

• Mustard seed

• Poppy seed

• Turmeric

Custom Curry Blends

There are hundreds of established curry blends from dozens of countries, all without a fixed set of ingredients, and varying in taste, texture, and intensity. Here are some of the best-known curry powders and pastes.

Powders: Commercial, No; Custom, Yes

Commercial curry powder is taboo in true curry cooking, because it guarantees sameness in taste no matter what type of dish is being made. But a top-quality customized curry powder that includes a well-proportioned balance of fragrant spices and ground seeds is essential to curry cuisine, because it is what gives a curry its aromatic deliciousness.

For the sake of saving time, and because only a small amount is needed to flavor a dish, curry cooks will make a variety of curry powders in small quantities, as they keep well. Use about 1 tablespoon of curry powder for each pound of meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables used as the main ingredient, or for every 1 to 1½ cups of liquid. All the powders here will keep well in an airtight glass container for up to six months.

Madras Curry Powder
This basic curry powder is a good substitute for commercial curry powder. Because the spices are pre-roasted, this powder can be stirred right into liquids without being cooked first. You don’t need to limit its use to curries, however. Use it in any recipe calling for curry powder, rub it into meat roasts before putting them in the oven, or sprinkle it in butter sauces or salad dressings.

½ cup coriander seeds

¼ cup cumin seeds

2 tablespoons black mustard seeds

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon chili powder

1. In a small, dry heavy skillet over medium heat, roast the coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns until they become lightly browned and slightly fragrant. Turn the seeds frequently as they cook, so they do not burn. Transfer to a dish to cool.

2. Put the seeds in a spice grinder or mini food processor and grind until the consistency of fine powder. Mix in the ginger and the chili powder. Makes about 1 cup.

Hot Curry Powder
This powder from South India is hot and pungent and goes well with chicken, fish, lamb, and vegetarian curries.

1 cup coriander seeds

½ cup cumin seeds

¼ cup fennel seeds

¼ cup black mustard seeds

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

¼ cup dried chiles

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

20 dried curry leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric

1. In a small, dry heavy skillet over medium heat, individually roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds until they become lightly browned and slightly fragrant. Turn the seeds frequently as they cook so they do not burn.

2. Put the seeds, dried chiles, peppercorns, and curry leaves in a spice mill or mini food processor and process to a fine powder. Blend in the turmeric. Makes about 1½ cups.

Perfectly Browned Onions and Garlic

The secret to thick golden-red curries and tomato sauces is in the onions. Indian chefs call the technique brown frying and it serves a multiple purpose, adding color, flavor, fragrance, and thickness to sauce (or what Indian cuisine refers to as gravy).

Brown frying takes about 20 minutes and requires careful attention. Fried properly, the onions transform from pungent to a distinctively sweet flavor, as the heated molecules turn to sugar.

Don’t allow the onions to burn: they’ll turn bitter instead of sweet, and the spectacular sauce will be lost. If you burn the onions, throw them away, clean the pot, and start over again. You won’t have to do that, however, if you follow the instructions below. (For every cup of onions, use two tablespoons of fat—one that is low in saturated fat and high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil or canola oil.) Here’s what to do:

1. Pour the fat into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven (depending on what you are making) over low heat for a minute or two until the fat gets hot. Throw in a few onions to test the temperature before adding the whole batch. If the oil is too hot, the onions will not brown evenly. The oil should be hot but not sizzling.

2. Add either thinly sliced or diced onions and mix to coat them with the fat. Turn the heat to medium-high and fry, turning the onions continually with a wooden spoon, as they gradually lose their moisture and release their volatile oils, about five minutes. The onions should be wilted and lightly golden.

3. Continue to cook, turning continually, for another five minutes. The onions may start to clump together as they start to turn a deeper brown. Adjust the heat, if necessary, so they do not burn. If onions begin to burn, add a tablespoon or two of cold water to cool the temperature. Do not remove from the pot or pan from heat, as you should not interrupt the process.

4. Add your diced garlic (or garlic and ginger, as they do in India) and fry another five minutes. It is important to keep turning, so the mixture does not burn. You should have perfect, evenly brown onions with no signs of scorching.

You can prepare browned onions in advance and keep them in the refrigerator. Just bring them to room temperature before putting them in a pan to continue on with a recipe. For browning ahead, figure ¼ cup of browned onions for every cup of raw onions called for in a recipe.

You can also freeze browned onions and defrost them in the refrigerator before using. Freeze them in the amount you typically use in an individual recipe.

Pastes: Variety in Flavor and Fire

Wet curries—also known as pastes—are spices ground with or added to water, oil, vinegar, or coconut milk. Unless otherwise indicated, these pastes should be cooled, if cooked, stored in an airtight glass container, and refrigerated where they will keep for two weeks to one month. They can also be frozen. If freezing, divide into small amounts so you can defrost as needed. Always defrost in the refrigerator.

Here is a sampling of excellent basic pastes, some which call for traditional roasting of the seeds and some made with spices already ground. When using ground, make sure the powder is fresh. Consider 1 to 2 tablespoons of paste per pound of the food used as the main ingredient.

Madras Curry Paste
This paste is quite versatile. In addition to making curries, you can use it as a have-on-hand replacement in recipes calling for garlic, ginger, and similar savory spices. It is designed to enhance the flavor of beef, poultry, and fish curries.

½ cup coriander seeds

¼ cup cumin seeds

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon diced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon diced garlic

2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

cup distilled white vinegar

1. In a small, dry heavy skillet over medium heat, individually roast the coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds until they become lightly browned and slightly fragrant. Turn the seeds frequently as they cook, so they do not burn. Transfer to a dish to cool.

2. Put the seeds and black peppercorns in a spice grinder or mini food processor and grind until the consistency of fine powder.

3. Combine the spice powder, ginger, garlic, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in the vinegar until it becomes a smooth paste. Add more if necessary. Makes about 1 cup.

Vindaloo Curry Paste
Vindaloo is a hot and sour curry popular in South India. It is perfect paste for pork and game, as its acidity and astringency balance their richness. Vindaloo paste, and the food it’s cooked with, is designed to keep for several months under refrigeration.

4 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons turmeric

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground mustard

2 tablespoons salt

½ cup white vinegar

½ cup vegetable oil

1. Place the first eight ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl and combine. Whisk in the vinegar until the mixture form a paste, somewhat like the texture of peanut butter.

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the paste, reduce the heat to low, and vigorously mix with a wire whisk continuously so the spices do not stick and burn. Do not get too close, as the spices give off pungent vapors that could irritate sensitive eyes. Continue to stir until the spices mellow, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Put the cooled paste in an airtight jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups.

Thai Red Curry Paste
Red curry is Thailand’s most famous curry. You can adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of chiles. Thai cooks use coriander roots, but since they are hard to find, the leaves are an adequate substitute. Shrimp paste can be found in an Asian market or via the Internet. For a list of suppliers, see the “Buyer’s Guide”. You can also use this paste as a rub under the skin of chicken, or add a tablespoon to your favorite meatball or meatloaf mixtures.

5–10 dried red chiles

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 stalks lemongrass, outer sheath removed and sliced

1 two-inch piece galangal, coarsely chopped,
or 1 tablespoon ground (Laos powder)

4 shallots, diced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup chopped Thai basil

cup chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons shrimp paste (optional)

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor with a metal blade and process to the consistency of a smooth paste. Stop the processor occasionally to scrape down the sides. Makes about 1½ cups.

Malaysian Curry Paste
In Malaysia this curry is made with candlenuts, which are indigenous to the area and difficult to find. Macadamia nuts make a fine substitute, but you can also use dry roasted peanuts. This paste goes well with chicken, fish, or seafood.

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 one-and-a-half-inch cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon minced ginger

¼ cup macadamia nuts

4 cloves garlic

4 large shallots

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground lemongrass

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. In a small, dry heavy skillet over medium heat, individually roast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and peppercorns until they become lightly browned and slightly fragrant. Turn the seeds frequently as they cook so they do not burn. Transfer to a dish to cool.

2. Put the seeds in a spice grinder and process until smooth.

3. Put the ginger, nuts, garlic, and shallots in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric, lemongrass, the ground spices, vinegar, water, and lemon juice. Process to a smooth paste. Transfer to an air-tight glass container. Makes about 1 cup.

Caribbean Curry Paste
This recipe delivers a super hot curry paste, which is the custom in many of the islands. It comes from Trinidad, where the cuisine has an Indian influence. If you want to turn down the heat, use a less incendiary chile, such as a jalapeño.

¼ cup coriander seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cloves

4 star anise

1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

1 fresh Habanera chile, cut in half and seeds removed

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger

¼ cup oil

1. In a small, dry heavy skillet over medium heat, individually roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds, until they become lightly browned and slightly fragrant. Turn the seeds frequently as they cook, so they do not burn. Transfer to a dish to cool.

2. Put the roasted spices, turmeric, cloves, star anise, onion, garlic, chili, ginger, , and oil in a food processor and process to the consistency of a smooth paste. Makes about ¾ cup.