Do you love spices? Then you're probably familiar with curry powder. Curries and curry powder stir-fries all share this same delicious ingredient.

What Is Curry Powder?

Curry powder is a blend of ground spices that mixes everyday herbs with more expensive or rare ones, depending on the recipe of each country or region. It's an ingredient used in many cuisines to make curry: Thai curry, Japanese curry, Chinese curry and the original Indian curries. Curry has become popular all over the world thanks to this spice blend.

Where Does the Word 'Curry' Come From?

Kari (or karhi) is a Tamil word that South Indians use for a spicy curry with liquid. South India also has thick and dry spicy dishes, each with its own name, so spice recipes are endlessly varied. Whatever the dish, Indian cooks traditionally grind their spices fresh and mix them as needed. When the British ruled India for around two hundred years, they fell in love with Indian curries and, for reasons that aren't entirely clear, took the name kari for all of them. "Curry" is the anglicised form of that word.

What's in Curry Powder?

The core spices are coriander seed, cumin, turmeric and fenugreek. Other spices are added to adjust the flavour and aroma: dried chilli, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and cassia, nutmeg and mace, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, dill seed, fennel seed, mustard seed, poppy seed, celery seed and salt. That's why curry powders from different places taste and smell so different:

  • Indian curry powder — from the birthplace of curry, aromatic with strong spice; traditional blends vary widely
  • European curry powder — milder, since it's often just sprinkled into stews
  • Japanese curry powder — very mild in colour, aroma and taste; sold as powder or as solid roux blocks
  • Chinese curry powder — a bright yellow colour, mild taste and pleasant aroma
  • Thai curry powder — deep yellow, bold and fragrant; in Mae Hong Son a local blend is called masala, as in India, and used for almost everything

Curry Powder Dishes by the River

At Coco Chaophraya you can taste curry powder in soft-shell crab stir-fried with curry powder, mellow and not spicy, great with steamed rice. Read more in What is soft-shell crab?

49/1 Phra Sumen Road, Chana Songkhram, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 · Tel 02-281-9918 · Open daily 10:00–23:00

About us: Coco Chaophraya has been open for more than 10 years. We started at the front of Baan Chao Phraya before moving to the Chao Phraya riverside. Our chefs have more than 10 years of experience, and our professional baristas have more than 10 years of experience making coffee.