Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

Here’s my version of the fragrant Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder that comes together in just 5 minutes giving you an authentic curry powder for your curries. It can be used to make Sri Lankan meat curries that tastes like home!

What Is Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder?

Sri Lankan kitchens usually keep two curry powders, roasted and unroasted. The roasted kind is the dark one. Whole spices are dry roasted until deep golden brown, then ground. This gives the powder a nutty, smoky depth, and it’s made for bold meat curries. My Sri Lankan Unroasted (Raw) Curry Powder is lighter and fresher, and it’s what I use in vegetable curries and dals.

Neither one is the same as supermarket yellow curry powder. That’s a milder blend with turmeric added.

Skip the Separate Roasting: Here’s My Shortcut

Traditionally, Sri Lankan roasted curry powder is made by roasting each spice on its own, one after another. They all brown at different speeds, so it’s done slowly and carefully, spice by spice.

This is my easier version. I roast everything together in one pan, and it’s done in about 5 minutes. Who has time to roast eleven spices separately on a weeknight? I’ve made it this way for years in my kitchen here in Canada, and I can honestly tell you the flavour is just as good.

I grew up in Sri Lanka, and this is the curry powder I keep in my pantry year round. I first shared it here back in 2020, and it’s still one of my most used recipes. Every Sri Lankan home has its own version, and this is how I like mine. Treat it as your starting point and adjust the ratios to suit your family.

Ingredients

What makes a Sri Lankan blend taste unmistakably Sri Lankan is a trio of curry leaves, mustard seeds and fenugreek. You won’t find that combination in most other curry powders.

You’ll find the individual spices at any Indian, South Asian or Asian grocery store. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

• Coriander seeds – the base for any curry powder recipe
• Fennel seeds and Cumin seeds – Digestive spices and also builds up the flavor profile
• Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds, Curry leaves – the unique trio
• Black peppercorns – for the heat
• Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom – Cinnamon has to be the soft, papery Sri Lankan kind.
• Uncooked rice – A classic Sri Lankan addition. It toasts up nutty and helps thicken your curry gravy. Basmati or any white rice works.
• Curry leaves – Fresh is best, but dried work too. Here’s my guide on how to buy, use and store curry leaves.

There’s no chilli or turmeric, so you can control the heat and colour in each dish.

How to Make Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

1. Heat a dry pan. Use a heavy-bottomed or stainless steel pan over medium heat. No oil. This is a dry roast.
2. Add everything. Tip in all the spices, the rice and the curry leaves.
3. Roast and stir. Keep stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. You’re looking for the cumin seeds to turn golden brown, the mustard seeds to start popping, and the curry leaves to go dry, dark and crisp.
4. Cool it down. Spread the spices on a plate straight away so they stop cooking in the hot pan. Let them cool for a few minutes.
5. Grind. Blitz in a spice or coffee grinder until you have a fine powder. Work in batches if your grinder is small.
6. Store. Spoon it into a clean, dry, airtight jar.

• Sri Lankan meat curries: This is what the blend is made for. Use 2 to 3 tablespoons or according to the recipe, and add chilli powder or cayenne separately for heat. It’s the curry powder behind my Sri Lankan Chicken Curry and Sri Lankan Beef Curry, and it works just as well with mutton or lamb.
• Plant-based curries: It’s lovely with tofu, seitan or soya chunks. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.
• Everyday curry powder: If you’d like to use as an everyday curry powder, stir in 1 heaping teaspoon of turmeric per batch.

Frequently Asked Questions