In this post, I’ll show you how to make Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha) with whole spices the easy way at home from scratch. Here you’ll find an easy-to-follow recipe with step-by-step instructions, helpful info plus tips.
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, in general, there are mainly three types of curry powders that are widely used in Sri Lanka, namely basic curry powder (Thunapaha), roasted curry powder (Badapu Thunapaha), and unroasted curry powder (Amu Thunapaha) that you can make using whole spices or ground spices.
What is ‘Badapu Thunapaha‘
or 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).
Badapu Thunapaha or Roasted Curry Powder is typically made with dry roasted whole spices.
‘Badapu’ = Roasted
‘Thunapaha’ = Curry Powder
‘Badapu Thunapaha‘ = Roasted curry powder
It is also known as Sri Lankan “13-Spice Curry Powder” as it usually contains 13 ingredients. And interestingly it’s also called “Roasted Sinhalese Curry Powder” or “Roasted Sinhala Curry Powder” probably because it is one of the staple curry powders in all Sinhalese households.
Badapu Thunapaha or Roasted Curry Powder is mostly used for making spicy fish, meat, and egg curries. Sometimes it is also used for making spicy vegetable curries.
About Roasted Curry Powder Recipe
I have tried many different versions of roasted curry powder recipes. With that personal experience and Amma’s (my mother’s) influence, I developed this recipe for roasted curry powder with a mix of spices that I feel like the best flavor for me.
So, in this post, I will show you how to make my version of roasted curry powder. So, just feel free to modify it to your taste or according to your personal preferences.
It is homemade, fresh with the best flavor, with no dye or coloring, and preservative-free. You will surely love the aroma and flavor of roasted spices that add to your curries.
Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder recipe
You can easily make unroasted curry powder with store-bought ground spices.
Sri Lankan Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha)-made with ground 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 ground spices
Equipment
You will need a frying pan for dry roasting the spices, a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle for grinding the roasted spices, and a sieve for getting 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 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. However, when it comes to turmeric, where it’s not practical to use whole so buying a good quality turmeric powder is the only option 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 as well as 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, you might otherwise 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 or use an electric spice grinder (or coffee grinder) to make it easier.
Sieving (if needed)
After you’ve ground them 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
Allow your curry powder to cool down completely before you store it in an airtight container. 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 around one year or more, though the fresher the better as after you grind them, the spices will gradually lose their flavor over time.
A Glass Container is Better
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 as long as the glass container has an air-tight lid that is securely sealed.
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 Spicy 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 Roasted Curry Powder?
Click Here for More Sri Lankan Recipes!
Sri Lankan Roasted curry powder (Badapu Thunapaha) 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 with a wooden spoon or shaking the pan as it 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 that is kept in a cool, dark place, as spices degrade faster when exposed to light and air. If you store it properly, roasted curry powder will generally stay at its best quality for about 1 year.
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Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder Recipe
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
- 2 g curry leaves 1 tbsp
- 1 g cloves 1/2 tbsp
- 1 g cinnamon stick, broken 1 tbsp
- 1 g turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Instructions
- Dry roast the ingredients (except turmeric) individually and carefully. Keep them moving by stirring with a wooden spoon or shaking the pan as it 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 mix well.
- Store in a tight container.
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