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Jaffna curry powder
யாழ்ப்பாணக் கறித்தூள் (yazhpanam kari thool): Jaffna's fiery roasted chilli, coriander, cumin and fennel blend
Jaffna families once made their year's supply of curry powder in one go, drying the spices on mats in the hard northern sun before carrying them to the local mill, and many Tamil households abroad still have a jar sent from home. It is far hotter and redder than the dark roasted curry powder of the Sinhala south, built on a big weight of dried red chillies with coriander, cumin, fennel, black pepper and a little fenugreek, plus crisp curry leaves and turmeric. This is what gives Jaffna crab curry, aubergine kulambu and odiyal kool their brick-red colour and their kick. Grinding the spices while they are still warm is the common error; the steam makes the powder clump and spoil quickly, so let everything cool on a plate first. Chef's tip: roast each spice separately, because the chillies and coriander need several minutes but fenugreek burns and goes bitter in under one.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the powder
- 3 ½ oz dried long red chilliesstalks removed
- 3 ½ oz coriander seeds
- 2 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 3 sprigs curry leavesleaves picked and patted dry
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 3 ½ oz dried long red chillies in a heavy pan over a medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until crisp and a shade darker but not black. Tip onto a large plate.
5 minStep 2: Roast 3 ½ oz coriander seeds in the same pan for 4–5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant, then add it to the plate.
5 minStep 3: Roast 2 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tbsp black peppercorns together for about 2 minutes until the cumin darkens slightly.
2 minStep 4: Roast 1 tsp fenugreek seeds for 30–60 seconds, just until golden; pull it off at once if it starts to smoke.
1 minStep 5: Roast 3 sprigs curry leaves for 2–3 minutes until completely dry and they crumble between your fingers.
3 minStep 6: Leave everything to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
15 minStep 7: Grind in batches in a spice grinder to a fine powder, then stir in 2 tsp ground turmeric. Store in an airtight jar away from light for up to 3 months.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 35 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does jaffna curry powder take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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