Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

This lovely aromatic spice blend is good for making any kind of curry, adding depth and flavour to the sauce. You can omit the red chillies if you want a less spicy blend. Dried curry leaves are available in Asian grocery stores but you can also easily make your own. Start by spreading fresh curry leaves on a paper towel lined plate. Microwave it at 30 sec intervals till the leaves are dry and brittle, about 2 min. Or leave the plate on the counter top for a couple days and the leaves will dry out on their own. Store in an airtight container.
For more recipes on spice blends, check out the link here.

Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

4 tbsp whole coriander seeds

2 tbsp whole cumin seeds

1 tbsp each, whole spices: black peppercorn, cardamom seeds, cloves, raw Basmati rice

1 tsp each, whole spices: fennel seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds

1 each, whole spices: star anise, cinnamon stick (about 3 inches long, broken into smaller pieces), mace floret (optional)

2 whole dried red chilies (deseeded if desired)

1/4 cup dried curry leaves* see note above

Set a medium sized skillet to warm up over very low heat.

Add all the ingredients except for the curry leaves.

Toast the spices, stirring now and then until they are a deeper and darker in colour and a roasted aroma emanates from the skillet, about 3-5 min. Add the curry leaves and warm through for a minute.

Transfer spices to a bowl to cool off, then grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder or blender.

Store curry powder in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.