Curry is ubiquitous in Indian cooking, and like most people, store-bought curry powder is one of those spices we keep at the back of our pantry indefinitely. I used to think curry was a spice on its own, like ginger, and I may have used it once a year for an obscure recipe. But as a rule, it wasn’t a go-to condiment. That all changed when I blended up my first batch. Now I use it almost as much as salt & pepper in soups, on roasted potatoes, and vegetables.

Toasting the seeds and whole spices releases the oils and brings out the fragrant aroma. Blend up a batch in your spice grinder. I guarantee you’ll never go back to store-bought curry again.

Recipe notes: What you will need: A mixing bowl, a spoon/whisk, a skillet, and an airtight container for storage. Active prep time: 10 minutes. Difficulty level: Very easy

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp whole cumin seeds
• 2 Tbsp whole cardamom pods
• 2 Tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 1-Tbsp dry mustard, or mustard seed
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• ¼  cup ground turmeric
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Place the first four ingredients in a dry skillet, [if using dry mustard, add to other powdered ingredients], and lightly toast spices for about 2 minutes, or till they begin to smell fragrant and nutty. DO NOT brown spices; they will become bitter.
2. Transfer to a spice mill and grind to a fine powder.
3. Place the next two ingredients in a mixing bowl, add the freshly ground spices, and stir well to combine.
4. Store in an air-tight container.