Home-Made Curry Powder

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1½ teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1½ teaspoons fenugreek
• 6 freeze dried curry leaves, crushed
• 2 dried chillies, seeds included
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon whole cloves
• ½ teaspoon of black peppercorns

Set the curry leaves, the chillies and the turmeric to one side.

Place the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fenugreek, cloves and peppercorns in a small cast iron frying pan and place over a low heat. (Don’t use a non-stick pan for this as the coating may smoke.) Keep watching and shaking the pan as spices burn quickly. You want everything to roast evenly. Warm through until the whole spices have darkened slightly and an aromatic scent has filled your kitchen. Immediately transfer them to a bowl to cool.

Once cool, add the crushed curry leaves and roughly chopped dried chillies. Grind in a pestle and mortar or whiz in a spice grinder.

Add the turmeric and stir. Store in a sealed container and use within weeks.

Eat.