Curry powder is already a deliciously exotic seasoning, full of fragrant (and flavorful) spices. There’s typically a warmth to most any curry powder recipe you use. This recipe, though, is here to turn up that heat just a little. A tablespoon of cayenne pepper is enough for most people looking for extra heat, but you could increase the spiciness even more by using a touch of hot paprika (instead of mild or generic), too. Use this not only for curries, but also in soups, salads, and dips.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Warm and earthy from cumin and coriander, with a little sweetness from fennel and cinnamon and a real cayenne kick. |
| Primary heat source | 1 tablespoon of cayenne. 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. |
| Heat level | Hot for a curry powder. Cut the cayenne for a milder blend. |
| Texture | A fine, reddish-orange powder. |
| Best uses | Curries, lentils and chickpeas, roasted vegetables, soups and dips. |
| Customization ideas | Hot or smoked paprika, less cayenne, or whole seeds toasted and ground at home. |
| Before you start | About 5 minutes. Fresh spices make the biggest difference, so check that yours still smell strong. |
Flavor notes
This blend uses more paprika than any other spice, and those three tablespoons give it its color and a sweet pepper base. Nearly all of the heat comes from the tablespoon of cayenne, which runs 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units, so go easy the first time you cook with it.
Cumin and coriander bring the warm, earthy middle. And turmeric’s golden color and slightly bitter edge are a big part of what makes the blend taste and look like curry powder.
The smaller amounts add tasty undertones. Fennel’s faint licorice sweetness softens the cumin, and the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon add warmth, so measure them carefully, because a heavy hand with cloves takes over fast.
Ground brown mustard seed adds a mild, sharp bite in the background. Plain mustard powder works just as well if that’s what you have in the cupboard.
Cook it in a little oil with your onions for a minute before any liquid goes in. The spices smell noticeably stronger once they hit the hot oil, and the raw, dusty edge goes away.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat or the depth of the blend.
- Want more heat? Swap one tablespoon of the sweet paprika for hot paprika.
- Want it milder? Use 1 teaspoon of cayenne in place of the full tablespoon.
- Want it smoky? Use smoked paprika for one of the three tablespoons.
- Want it more fragrant? Toast whole cumin, coriander and fennel seeds in a dry pan until they smell toasty, then grind them yourself.
- Want a little more warmth? Add a teaspoon of ground ginger or ground black pepper.
Serving ideas
Use it anywhere a recipe calls for curry powder, and taste as you go.
- In curries. One to two tablespoons for a pot that serves four, cooked in the oil with the onions.
- With lentils and chickpeas. Stirred into a simple dal or a chickpea stew.
- On roasted vegetables. Tossed with cauliflower, sweet potatoes or carrots, oil and salt before roasting.
- In soups, salads and dips. A teaspoon in a creamy dip, a chicken salad, or a pot of lentil or squash soup.
Storage notes
Keep it in a small airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove. It won’t spoil, but ground spices lose their punch over time, so make a batch you’ll use within a few months.
Label the jar with the date. And because it’s hotter than most mild curry powders, don’t swap it in one for one in a recipe written for a mild blend; start with half and taste.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Malaysian Curry Powder: A Malaysian-style curry powder built on coriander, cumin, fennel and turmeric.
- Spicy Garam Masala: A warm Indian spice blend made from whole toasted spices and dried chilies.
- Beef Madras Curry: A beef curry with coconut milk and fresh bird’s eye chilies.
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Spicy Curry Powder
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons paprika sweet, or part hot (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground fennel seed
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon ground brown mustard seed or mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Measure all of the spices into a small bowl.
- Whisk for about a minute, until the color is even and there are no streaks of turmeric or clumps of paprika left.
- Use it right away, or spoon it into a small airtight jar and keep it in a cool, dark cupboard.
