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Japanese Curry Powder from Scratch
5 from 4 votes

Japanese Curry Powder from Scratch

Balanced, flavorful, and enjoyable—this recipe has it all.

Prep Time
8 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
10 mins
Cuisine: Fusion, Japanese

Ingredients

  • 1 cinnamon stick approx 1 ½ inch long (or ½ tsp ground cinnamon)
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 dried red chili pepper (or ½ tsp chili powder)
  • 4 green cardamom pods (or ¾ tsp cardamom powder)
  • 4 cloves or ¼ tsp ground cloves, pods
  • 1 tbsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tbsp coriander powder
  • ½ tbsp cumin powder
  • ½ tbsp fenugreek powder
  • 1 tsp fennel powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper ground
  • ½ tsp nutmeg powder
  • ½ tsp allspice powder
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper powder

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the whole spices (1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 1 dried red chili pepper, 4 green cardamom pods and 4 clove pods) in a spice blender and grind to a fine powder. (You can also use a mortar and pestle for this but it will take longer.)
  2. Once fine, pour the mixture into a dry frying pan.
  3. Add the rest of the spices.
  4. Place the pan on the stove and heat over medium for 1-2 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent burning and encourage even cooking. Toast for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and the color has turned to a rich brown.
  5. Remove the pan from the stove and transfer your homemade Japanese curry powder to an airtight jar and store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

  • This recipe will make enough curry powder to fill an 80ml jar (roughly).
  • Feel free to double or triple the recipe, but keep in mind that even though curry powder has a long shelf life, it is better to make smaller batches and use them within several months to enjoy its maximum flavor potential.