BEST! Badapu Thunapaha |Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

Learn to make Badapu Thunapaha (Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder) the easy way from scratch. It is homemade, fresh with the best flavor, with no dye, coloring, or preservatives. You will surely love the aroma and flavor of roasted spices that add to your curries.

Learn to make Badapu Thunapaha
(Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder)

Do You Love Sri Lankan Curries? The secret to awesome Sri Lankan curries is in the Sri Lankan curry powders. I highly recommend you make curry powders yourself to get the real flavor of Sri Lankan curries. Once you made them, you can prepare all your favorite Sri Lankan-style curries in no time!

Curry powders are one of the household staples in Sri Lanka. But, as with many other local dishes, there is no standard recipe for making Sri Lankan curry powders. Each family has its own spice blends that are often personalized according to their preferences. Every household in Sri Lanka will claim that theirs is the best.

In this post, I will show you how to make my version of roasted curry powder with whole spices. After trying a few different versions of roasted curry powder recipes, I developed this recipe with those personal experiences. It uses the proportions of whole spices that (I think) give the best flavor to Sri Lankan curries.

Here you’ll find an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step instructions, helpful info plus tips. Just feel free to change the recipe according to your personal preferences.

Click Here for More Sri Lankan Recipes!

What is Badapu Thunapaha
(Roasted Curry Powder)

Badapu Thunapaha (බැදපු තුනපහ) or Roasted Curry Powder is typically made with dry roasted whole spices. It is widely used for making spicy fish, meat, and egg curries. Sometimes it is also used for making spicy vegetable curries.

‘Badapu’ = Roasted
‘Thunapaha’ = Curry Powder
‘Badapu Thunapaha‘ = Roasted curry powder

It is also known as Sri Lankan “13-Spice Curry Powder” as it usually includes 13 ingredients. And interestingly it’s also called “Roasted Sinhalese Curry Powder” or “Roasted Sinhala Curry Powder.” This is because it is one of the staple curry powders in all Sinhalese households.

More About Sri Lankan Curry Powder

Thunapaha (තුනපහ) or Thuna Paha (තුන පහ) refers to the curry powders (spice mixes) used in everyday cooking. You can make these spice mixes using whole spices or ground spices.

There are mainly three types of curry powders that are widely used in Sri Lanka. But, you’ll also find some other variations of curry powders across the country.

1. Basic Spice Mix (Thunapaha)
2. Roasted Spice Mix (Badapu Thunapaha)
3. Unroasted Spice Mix (Amu Thunapaha)

More Sri Lankan Curry Powder
Recipes to Try!!

Basic Curry Powder (Thunapaha Made with Ground Spices)

Basic Curry Powder (Thunapaha Made with Ground Spices)

Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha)

Equipment

1. A frying pan: For dry roasting the spices
2. A spice grinder or a mortar and pestle: For grinding the roasted spices.
3. A sieve: For separating coarser from finer particles to get a fine powder

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients I used in this recipe. Apart from the whole spices, I also used raw white rice and dried curry leaves which is optional. You can make the spice blend in mild or hot adjusting the amount of chili used.

• Coriander
• Cumin
• Fennel
• Chili
• Turmeric
• Fenugreek
• Mustard
• Black pepper
• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Cardamom
• White rice (not spice)
• Dried curry leaves (not spice)

Ingredients Used in
Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

Useful Tips

Use Whole Spices

Use whole spices and grind them yourself for the freshest homemade curry powder. Whole spices contain more oils than ground spices, giving them a much stronger, richer flavor. But, when it comes to turmeric, it’s not practical to use it whole. Buying a good quality turmeric powder is the only choice I have. You can also use chili powder instead of dried chilies.

Wash and Dry

Be sure to wash and dry the ingredients before using them. Sun drying is preferable.

dry Roasting

The key to its preparation of roasted curry powder is the slow dry roasting of spices. Dry roasting the spices before grinding them enhances the flavor. It also prolongs the shelf life of the curry powder by removing the moisture contained in the spices. So, make sure to roast them if possible individually and carefully, otherwise you end up burning them. In any case, If you burn your spices, it’s best to throw them away and start again.

Grinding Spices

You can use a mortar and pestle to grind the spices manually. You can also use an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder to make it easier.

Sieving (if needed)

After grinding, you can give them a quick sieving to get the fine powder. This is only necessary if you care for a fine powder. Even if your spice powder is a bit coarse, that will be ok.

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, in a cool place. It should also be protected from direct sunlight and moisture. It keeps well in an airtight glass container for about 6 months. The fresher the better. The ground spices will gradually lose their flavor over time.

A Glass Container is Better for Storing Spices!

You can keep your whole spices, ground spices, and curry powders fresh longer by storing them in glass containers. The glass container must have an air-tight lid. The lid should be securely sealed. You can easily find the contents in the glass container as it is transparent. Since glass is not porous, it is a good choice for storing spices. Plastic is porous and allows air to leak into the container.

Do you love Spicy Sri Lankan curries?

Do you love Spicy Sri Lankan curries? Try these recipes with Roasted Curry Powder you made.

Click Here for More Sri Lankan Recipes!

Badapu Thunapaha (Sri Lankan Roasted curry powder) Step-by-Step recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes
Roasting Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 60 g coriander seeds (10 tbsp)
• 30 g cumin seeds (3 tbsp)
• 10 g fennel seeds (2 tbsp)
• 15 g Thai white rice (1 tbsp)
• 5 g dried chilies
• 4 g fenugreek seeds (1 tbsp)
• 4 g black mustard seeds (1 tbsp)
• 3 g black peppercorns (1 tbsp)
• 2 g cardamom pods (1 tbsp)
• 1 g cloves (1/2 tbsp)
• 1 g cinnamon stick, broken (1 tbsp)
• 2 g curry leaves (1 tbsp)
• 1 g turmeric powder (1/2 tbsp)

Instructions

Gather the ingredients

Dry roast the ingredients (except turmeric) individually and carefully. Keep them moving by stirring them with a wooden spoon. Shaking the pan helps prevent burning and will evenly toast them.

Allow the dry roasted spices to cool slightly before placing them into a spice grinder.

Grind into a powder using either a mortar with a pestle or a spice grinder.

Sieve into a fine powder, if desired.

Add turmeric powder and sieve again or mix well.

Once you’ve made your roasted curry powder, the best way to store it is in an airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dark place. Spices degrade faster when exposed to light and air. If you store it properly, roasted curry powder will stay at its best quality for about 1 year.

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More Sri Lankan Recipes To Try

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