A super easy recipe for making Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha) either with homemade or store-bought ground spices in less than 10 minutes.
Do you love spicy Sri Lankan curries?
The secret to a great Sri Lankan curry is in the Sri Lankan curry powders. To get the real flavor of Sri Lankan curries, I highly recommend you make curry powder yourself. Then you can whip up your own Sri Lankan curry in no time!
About Sri Lankan Curry Powder
Thunapaha (තුනපහ) or Thuna Paha (තුන පහ) is the generic term used in Sri Lanka for the curry powders (spice mixes) used in everyday cooking. As with many local dishes, there is no standard recipe or a set formula for making curry powders too.
So you’ll find many variations of Sri Lankan curry powder across the country. Each family has its own spice blends that are often personalized according to personal preferences and every household in Sri Lanka will claim that theirs are the best.
However, there are mainly three types of curry powders that are widely used in Sri Lanka, namely basic (Thunapaha), roasted (Badapu Thunapaha), and unroasted (Amu Thunapaha) that you can make using whole spices or ground spices.
What is ‘Amu Thunapaha‘
(Unroasted Curry Powder)?
In Sri Lanka, there are mainly two types of curry powders according to the preparation method; Badapu Thunapaha (Roasted Curry Powder) and Amu Thunapaha (Unroasted Curry Powder).
Amu Thunapaha or Unroasted Curry Powder is typically made with unroasted or slightly roasted spices using either whole spices or ground spices.
“Amu” = Raw or Unroasted
‘Thunapaha‘ = Curry Powder
‘Amu Thunapaha‘ = Unroasted (Raw) Curry Powder
You can use unroasted curry powder for making mild curries as well as spicy curries, according to your personal preferences.
About Unroasted Curry Powder Recipe
After trying many different versions of curry powder recipes, I developed this unroasted curry powder recipe with the proportions of pre-ground spices that I think are the best flavor for making Sri Lankan curries. So, just feel free to modify it to your taste or according to your personal preferences.
You can use homemade ground spices or you can buy pre-ground spices at the grocery store or online. Just measure the ground spices with a tablespoon or teaspoon, as required, and then mix them.
Ingredients used in Sri Lankan Curry Powder
Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder Recipe
Roasted curry powder is made with roasted whole spices and is used for making spicy fish, meat, egg, and vegetable curries.
Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha)-made with whole spices
Sri Lankan Basic Curry Powder Recipes
If you love mild Sri Lankan curries, try these basic curry powder recipes. You need only 3 ground or whole spices; coriander, cumin, and fennel.
Sri Lankan Basic Curry Powder (Thunapaha)-made with whole spices
Sri Lankan Basic Curry Powder (Thunapaha)-made with pre-ground spices
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients I used in this recipe and all ingredients are in the powdered form. Apart from the spice powder, I also used white rice flour and dried curry leaf powder which is optional. You can make the spice blend in mild or hot adjusting the amount of chili powder used.
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Fennel
- Chili
- Turmeric
- Fenugreek
- Mustard
- Black pepper
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Cardamom
- White rice
- Dried curry leaves
How to Store
Store the curry powder in airtight containers preferably glass containers. The best place to keep your spices is in a pantry or cabinet that maintains a cool temperature and is protected from direct sunlight and moisture.
It keeps well in an airtight glass container for about 6 months, though the fresher the better as the ground spices will gradually lose their flavor over time.
A Glass Container is Better
You can keep your whole spices, ground spices, and curry powders fresh longer by storing them in glass containers as long as the glass container has an air-tight lid that is securely sealed.
A Glass Container is Better for Storing Spices!
Since glass is not porous, it is a good option for storing spices when compared to plastic containers as plastic is porous and allows air to leak into the container. You can easily identify the contents in the glass container as it is transparent.
Do you love Sri Lankan curries?
The secret to a great Sri Lankan curry is in the Sri Lankan curry powder. How about making Sri Lankan chicken or fish curry with this Unroasted Curry Powder?
Click Here for More Sri Lankan Recipes!
Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha) Step-by-Step recipe
Prep Time 10 min
Equipment
A small glass bottle with an air-tight lid
Ingredients
4 tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons cumin powder
1 tablespoon fennel powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/8 teaspoon clove powder
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon chili powder, adjust as needed
1 tbsp rice flour, optional
1/4 tsp dried curry leaf powder, optional
NOTE: You’ll need about 2 teaspoons of curry powder for making a curry for 2 to 4 people (as a guideline)
Instructions
Gather and measure the ingredients.
Put measured spices in the bottle. Cover with the lid and then shake a few times.
Store it in a cool, dry, and dark place to maintain flavor and shelf life.
Thank you for being here, I appreciate it!
I love hearing from you so feel free to leave a comment on the post.
If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to see pics of your creations
#joyofeatingtheworld or @joyofeatingtheworld
Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha)
Equipment
- A small glass bottle with an air-tight lid
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp fennel powder
- 1 tsp chili powder powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek powder
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 tsp clove powder
- 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1/4 tsp dried curry leaf powder optional
Instructions
- Gather and measure the ingredients.
- Put measured spices in the bottle. Cover with the lid and then shake a few times.
- Store it in a cool, dry, and dark place to maintain flavor and shelf life.
Notes
Hungry For More?
Please enter your email address to subscribe to this blog
and receive notifications of new posts by email
(Your email address will not be published)
More Sri Lankan Curry Recipes To Try
Click Here for More Sri Lankan Recipes!