What Is Curry powder and How Can I Use It?

Curry powder is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 868 recipes to get you started.

What is curry powder?

Curry powder is a mixture of spices of widely varying composition based on South Asian cuisine. Curry powder and the contemporary English use of the word curry are Western inventions and do not reflect any specific Indian food.

The word curry is widely believed to be a corruption of the Tamil word kari meaning something like sauce but may instead be derived from the French cuire meaning "to cook".

In the Western world, curry powder mixtures tend to have a reasonably standardized taste, though many spice mixtures are used in Indian cuisine.

Indian cooks often have readier access to fresh spices than their foreign counterparts. Some curry cooks will have their own specific mixtures for different recipes. These are often passed down from parent to child.

curry powder

Ingredients

Most recipes and producers of curry powder usually include coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper in their blends. Depending on the recipe, additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel seed, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, mace, nutmeg, long pepper, and black pepper may also be added.

Curry powder is a generic term for a blend of different spices. As with many things, curry powder can have more spices added to the mixture while cooking to suit the tastes of a particular individual.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 tbsp (6g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 19Calories from Fat 7

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.8g 1%

Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 3mg 0%

Total Carbohydrate 3.5g 1%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 0.2

Protein 0.8g

Vitamin A 1% Vitamin C 1%

Calcium 3% • Iron 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Where found

Curry powder is usually found in the spices section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group

Curry powder is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

How much does curry powder weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 tbsp	6 grams
1 teaspoon	2 grams

Spices and Herbs

Allspice 904 Allspice berries 37 Star anise 178 Aniseed 23 Bay leaves 2049 Caraway seeds 321 Cardamom pods 100 Cardamom seeds 317 Celery seeds 283 Chervil 65

In Chinese:	咖喱粉
British (UK) term:
en français:	poudre de curry
en español:	polvo de curry

Recipes using curry powder

There are 868 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Curried pumpkin soup with sweet pumpkin puree, golden sauteed onions, warm curry powder, and a swirl of half-and-half. A silky, autumn-spiced soup garnished with pepitas or chives.

Borani Esfanaj (Spinach-Yogurt Salad or Dip)

Spinach yogurt dip with a touch of kick. Musky and sweet spices compliment the spinach and tangy yogurt.

Beefy Chunk & Cheese Chili

Curried beef and kidney bean chili topped with sharp cheddar and fresh scallions. The unexpected curry powder addition transforms a basic chili into something with serious depth and global flavor.

Curried Squash Soup

Curried squash soup blends butternut squash with curry powder, cumin, garlic and chicken broth for a velvety low-fat fall starter. Naturally gluten-free, freezer-friendly, ready in under an hour.

Mustard Seed & Papaya Chutney

A sweet and savory chutney perfect for veggie burgers or on the side along with curries.

Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry

Kukul Mus Thakkali, a Sri Lankan chicken and tomato curry with coconut milk, lemongrass, curry leaves, fenugreek and cardamom. Marinated and simmered for rich, layered flavor.

Kukul Mus Thakkali or Chicken & Tomato Curry

Kukul Mus Thakkali, a Sri Lankan chicken and tomato curry with coconut milk, lemongrass, curry leaves, fenugreek and cardamom. Marinated and simmered for rich, layered flavor.

Garlic Curry Burgers

Garlic curry burgers fold mild curry powder, fresh garlic, and sweet Vidalia onion right into the beef, with egg and evaporated milk keeping the patties tender on the grill. A spiced summer cookout twist.

Delicious Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Cream of pumpkin soup with coriander, curry powder, and a finishing drizzle of walnut oil. Smooth, golden, and ready in an hour using fresh or canned pumpkin.

Norma Koob’s Appetizer with Chutney

Aqua Aerobics regular, Norma Koob, has submitted this delicious appetizer recipe!

Best Curried Squash Soup

Curried squash soup made with pre-cooked butternut squash, garlic, curry powder, and chicken stock. A 40-minute warming bowl topped with sour cream and scallions for color and tang.

Gluten Free Butternut Squash Soup

Gluten-free butternut squash soup, naturally creamy and warmed with curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A velvety, low-fat fall soup blended right in the pot.

False curry slice

500 g chicken breasts 1,5 tablespoons mustard 3 eggs 1 tsp spices mixture 1/2 tsp carry dust 1 tsp white pepper 4-5 teaspoons flour salt Mix together: eggs + spices + salt + spices mixture + mustard Cut the chicken breasts into strips and stir the egg mixture. Stir in enough flour to get a thicker sauce. Let the mixture stand for 3-4 hours. Heat oil in a frying pan. Put a spoonful of the mixture in hot oil.

Banana Curry Muffins

Unusual banana curry muffins flavored with curry powder, treacle, and sweetened condensed milk, plus mashed bananas and bran. A high-fibre breakfast muffin with a savory-spice twist.

Thai Lion's Head Meatballs

Ginger-spiked pork meatballs browned until golden, then simmered in curried coconut milk sauce and served on crisp lettuce with fresh basil and lemon zest. A Thai twist on the Chinese classic.

Chickpea Burgers

Packed with nutrients and the burger is also delicious. Serve these veggie burgers with whatever toppings you feel like.

Bob's Curried Carrot Soup

Low-fat curried carrot soup simmers carrots in chicken broth, then purees with curry powder and a dash of hot sauce. Four-ingredient pantry soup that's silky, vibrant, and surprisingly low calorie.

King Prawn Butterfly

This is a delicious starter from my book named 'The Curry Crunch' where mildly spiced king prawns are coated with bread crumbs and fried. The king prawns used in this recipe weigh approximately 50g each.

Vegetable Curry

Vegetable Curry recipe

Harvest Party Mix

This party mix is perfect for the holiday season or whenever you have company. It is subtly spiced with pops of sweetness from the raisins and combines corn, rice, and wheat boxed cereals for a flavor and texture combination that will surely be a hit at any gathering.