Do you love curry recipes as much as we do? This Homemade Curry Powder is mild enough even for kids. It’s the perfect fragrant addition to soups, salads, main dishes, and more.
Do you (like me) just like making your own homemade seasoning blends to save time and money (no more scurrying off to the store to get something you could just make yourself)?
For years, we used a certain brand’s mild curry powder and we loved it, but I decided to try my hand at making my own mild homemade curry powder recipe.
Well, one morning, with a bit of trepidation, I did a blind taste test using my family as the judges, and the result was 100% unanimous. My blend won over the ever popular brand that we have been using for oh, about 6 years now.
And it is a LOT cheaper. Yippee!
I’ve meant to post my Mild Homemade Curry Powder recipe for awhile now, but at the request of a reader (she said she was desperate for the recipe – a “curry emergency”, so to speak :-)), I decided to interrupt our fall pumpkin recipe baking extravaganza with a special broadcast of my Sweet Curry Powder Recipe.
This homemade curry powder is perfect for use in my Pakistani Kima (my most requested recipe) and you can even use it in this Chicken Thigh Curry. See what can happen when you contact me with a request?
(Can’t guarantee that I can always do this – I admit, I was afraid to go digging through my totally disorganized pile of recipes to find my curry powder recipe. But I did find it – yea!)
You already know that I recommend making your own Homemade Seasoning Blends for a number of reasons. But curry powder is an especially great blend to make on your own since you can really control the amount of heat in there.
A lot of curries are just plain too spicy for children, but this curry powder recipe is not.
And if you feel you must, just cut the cayenne in half or leave it out altogether.
But I don’t think you’ll have to since we’ve never had a complaint about the “heat” of this blend, even from those who are a “neko jita” (cat’s tongue, in Japanese).
In Japan, they call those with tongues that are sensitive to heat, “neko jita”. “Neko” means “cat” and jita is “shita” for “tongue” that becomes “jita” in this linguistic combination.
I lived in Japan for a year and had a lot of contact with the Japanese community after living overseas, and certain phrases just have to be employed, even when writing in English :).
What You Will Need for this Homemade Curry Powder:
- turmeric – loaded with anti-inflammatory qualities
- coriander
- cumin
- cinnamon
- ginger
- yellow mustard
- white pepper (hard to find. Omit if necessary.)
- fenugreek
- cardamom
- cloves
- nutmeg
- cayenne pepper
- black pepper
Recipe Substitution for this Curry Powder Recipe
- Mustard Seed: You can substitute organic ground mustard seed for the fenugreek.
More Homemade Seasoning Blends You Will Love:
– Taco Seasoning
– Pumpkin Pie Spice
– Chat Masala (a wonderful “goes-with-everything” Indian blend)
– All-Purpose Seasoning (Vegetable Broth Blend) and a pretty special way to use it!
Mild Curry Powder
Ingredients
- 3 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (hard to find. Omit if necessary)
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (all are ground spices) in a bowl.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Store in an airtight container.
Well, you are now ready with a wonderfully tasty Do It Yourself Sweet Curry Powder. I can’t wait to hear how you like it! Please do share!
Do you have a favorite recipe to share that uses curry powder?
Do you just add spices to water
You add them to whatever recipe you are using–does that answer your question?
good and tnx
Simple and flavourful, excellent recipe. White pepper adds heat with less complexity than black, better to just stick with the blac. If you want to be a little more adventurous, some of these spices you can grind yourself from whole seeds. Fenugreek seed should be toasted lightly first to remove the sour taste, 30 seconds in dry skillet on medium, or it will go really bitter. Fenugreek gives the characteristic ‘curry’ flavour that most people recognise, so it is worth finding. Coriander and cumin seed may benefit from lightly toasting before grinding, although not everyone agrees. Nutmeg is best grated fresh from the whole nut. Also, I use the long red dried Kashmiri peppers (when I use any type of peppers). They are very mild but flavourful, and add a nice red-ish colour to the curry (can be found whole/dried or as a powder in Indian grocery stores). Oh, and ground cardamom is from the seeds, don’t use the whole (green or black) cardamom pods. Happy experimenting!
Is there any substitute for for fenugreek? Can it be left out? I do not have it as a spice and would be concerned to use it as it can have an effect on nursing.
Curry is a blend that is very individual so you could leave it out or use a sub. My understanding is that it boosts milk supply. I’m not sure it would do that in this small amount but that’s up to you to decide. Thanks for reading and hope you like it!
Hi, thanks so much for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it.
Quick question – how much curry powder does this make? How much of the powder would I use for say, a meal for 4 people?
Thank you. Sandy
I just updated the recipe – just over 12 tsp. Enjoy. The amt you would use depends on your specific recipe.
Thanks for the delicious sounding recipe. I can’t wait to try it!
I have a coffee grinder that I use to grind flax seed, etc. with and I tried to grind some cloves tonight. They didn’t grind very fine and it was like chewing on wood. I guess I’ll just have to buy ground cloves for now. How do you grind them?
Thx,
Lori
I typically grind mine in my spice / coffee grinder. I just bought this one and I love how the cups are washable. https://amzn.to/1UCdqg2 This is an affiliate link.
Thank you for this–we’ve had it multiple times now and it’s delicious, especially in your Pakistani kima! I’ve even mixed up batches for gifts.
You are so welcome. That’s a lovely gift idea!
Dear desi only found this site today.I am amazed at your talent in making presents of curry.Where would one start in bulk .Or do you do one by one.Never tried Sweet curry but will make the power .Dont like hot curries.
Novice Hazel
I personally LOVE Frontier for bulk spices. For example, I would easily use up 2 lbs of cumin in the seed format. The shelf life is good b/c it isn’t ground. Here is an affiliate link: https://amzn.to/1RXD139
I would like to take this recipe and post it on a cooking site, with your permission.
I am going to make a few changes but it is basically your recipe.
Hello there, I don’t allow reposting of my recipes – what site are you doing this on please? Thank you.
I always enjoy seeing what folks put in their own curry. So many different varieties. Looks like you’ve landed on a good one!
Thanks and welcome!
Hi! If you can’t find white pepper, just take some regular peppercorns and rub them till the black skin comes off. What’s left is white peppercorns which you can grind down in a blender, coffe grinder (probably best if you don’t use the one you use for your coffe) or a mortar and pestle into white pepper powder.
No kidding, really? I had no idea! I have so much white pepper right now – happy to share :). Do you have a good way to use it?
You mentioned cardamom but there are two kind. Which cardamom did you intend to list? The green or the black cardamom? Please let me know! Thank you in advance.
Thanks for this. I didn’t know there were different kinds but I have read now….:). Looks like green is the appropriate kind. Thanks for the education. I will add this to the post.
Can you recommend a sweet curry and a mild curry powders to purchase. I don’t have most of the spices you mention and feel it would be easier just to buy one already prepared. Organic would be my first preference……thank you nat
Hi there. I personally LOVE Frontier Brand spices. They are what I buy almost all the time now. I haven’t tried this but it has great reviews. You can buy this large container (for tons of yummy curry) or get a smaller container. https://amzn.to/1Iz4OQq (affiliate link) This one is organic and has a slightly different flavor. I think it will be more spicy. https://amzn.to/1x52l9D (affiliate link) Hope that helps!
Hi stupid question time, looking forward to trying this recipe will this make a curry for 5 people with a thickish sauce or do i double ingredients etc? dumb question i know but am new to cooking lol
Sorry but I don’t understand. If you are looking to make curry sauce from powder, mix 1 T fat and 1 T flour and mix. Then add 1 T curry powder and blend. Add in about 1/2 tsp salt and stir in about 1 cup of your milk of choice. Heat over a low heat. Hope that helps 🙂
If you don’t have coriander can you use dried cilantro instead??
That’s a different taste. I think cumin might be a better substitute.
Cilantro IS coriander !!!
Well, coriander is the plant after it has developed seeds. Cilantro is the plant.
Hi There…what would the quantities be for the sweet curry powder if using say whole coriander seeds; yellow mustard seeds etc? I like to grind my own but would put it all in and grind together however am not sure if the whole seeds would equate to more powder and then change the flavour?
Thanks in advance.
Grinding whole seeds will change it so grind and then measure – does that help? I think it will only taste better. Fresh ground is always better.
intersting site you’ve got. i was looking for a mild/sweet curry and finally found it. now i will check it for more interesting things abouts spices etc.
Welcome.
White peppercorns are easy to find if there are Asian grocery stores in the area. It’s good for light colored sauces or dishes when you don’t want the black pepper to show. Asians often sprinkle it over some of their soups, especially their Jook sometimes called Congee, a rice porridge often eaten for breakfast or an anytime snack.
I am actually looking to make curry from scratch. A friend once made me a curried dish that was made with her own homemade curry and when I say homemade. she pan roasted the ingredients and then ground them into a powder . It was so fresh and flavorful… magical even.
Hi again , Adrienne ! From copycat thieves oil to curries !! I think I’m going to have to put an alarm next to me & STRICTLY ration myself daily to a limited time on your link !! Such a treasure chest ! I’m delighted that I’ll be able to use up some of my spices I have & always forget to continue to use …I find a recipe whch needs something , then I don’t use the spices again !! I’m an erratic cook , mainly get into a rut & can’t be bothered to follow recipes , & like your friend ,Margaret , mentioned in your beef curry recipe blog- I DON’T like cooking , even if I love eating !!! Also I’m an egg-eating veggie- eat only my neighbour’s happy hen eggs ! (Sorry – irrelevant !) Soo , this recipe’s going to be a boon because I love curry but don’t often make it . Your beef curry looks a winner , & with homemade curry powder – wow! Thanks a lot . Can’t stop saying I love your website , the way you always answer , & the way you link all sorts of appropriate other things , easy to go to , like how to peel garlic . Yippee – that’s brill – I use masses of it & always found the peeling a pain .
I love curry but my attempts at my own all fail. Whenever I combine cumin and tumeric I get an awful metalic taste. Alone each is fine but any combination creates this. I’ve tried different brands of both spices. Help!
Hmmmm. Not sure what to make of that. Something in your body perhaps? Did you read my post on metal toxicity?
I have been looking for a curry powder or recipe that wasn’t too hot. I LOVE curry, but usually it’s just too hot! 🙂 I once had a true Curry that was AMAZING & not hot at all, I have been searching ever since. This recipe looks great! I hope I can it, pretty sure I don’t have the mustard though. I hope that doesn’t totally ruin it. I don’t have white pepper either, I might have just given up in despair, but i saw your notes. 🙂 FLEXIBLE! It might be different, but it should still be good. 🙂 Thank you so much.
:). Let me know how it turns out!