Jaffna Curry Powder

Ingredients In Jaffna Curry Powder

As aforementioned, the spice trio of coriander, cumin, and fennel feature as the foundation of this spice blend. Generally, Sri Lankan curry powder uses a ratio of 3:2:1 of these three spices.

That is, three parts of coriander seeds, two parts of cumin seeds, and about 1 or 0.5 parts of fennel seeds are included. Other spices and herbs are usually incorporated according to the recipes developed by each person or household once this base is created.

Spices

Coriander seeds– This is the base of any Sri Lankan curry powder variety. Coriander seeds provide the spice blend with a gentle, warm, and citrusy undertone. This spice covers about 65% of the flavor of curry powder. Coriander seeds usually balance out the overall flavor profile of this spice blend and perfectly back up the rest of the piquant ingredients.

Cumin seeds- Tiny, fragrant cumin seeds pack a punch and are considered the next must-have in Sri Lankan curry powder. Warm, nutty, and slightly bitter-sweet elements of cumin seeds give this blend its characteristic flavor, pairing well with coriander and fennel seeds.

Fennel seeds- Fennel seeds look like cumin but are larger and greener in color. This spice lends a warm, earthy, sweeter overtone to curry powder with licorice-like undertones. Fennel seeds are included moderately since they are less spicy and prominent in sweetness. It could easily overpower a dish if overused, but it helps to balance the intense flavors in this spice mixture.

Cloves- Known for their signature aroma and piquancy, cloves are another flavor-packed spice used in traditional Sri Lankan roasted curry powder. We don’t usually see cloves in unroasted curry powder since it is a spice that well-complements meat and seafood. Only a few cloves are used in this blend due to their concentrated flavor.

Green cardamom- Featuring another signature spice, green cardamoms are also only included in Sri Lankan roasted curry powder. Green cardamom offers a herbal, warm, citrusy, spicy, and even a bit minty flavor. This is another robust spice we find in Ceylon cuisine, so it is used moderately due to its overpowering nature.

Cinnamon- Ubiquitous cinnamon is another staple in any variety of Sri Lankan curry powder. Sri Lankan cuisine is no short of high-quality Ceylon cinnamon! Hence, this spice lends a warm, sweet, and iconic spicy undertone to curry powder. A small portion of a Ceylon cinnamon quill is usually roasted with the rest of the spices when making this spice blend.

Mustard seeds- Bitter and slightly spicy black mustard seeds provide a distinctive flavor to curry powder. Due to its strong taste, this spice does not typically feature in unroasted curry powder. Mustard seeds pair well with ingredients like curry leaves, pandan leaves, black pepper, and fenugreek to build the perfect curry base for any dish!

Fenugreeks seeds- Used as staples in Sri Lankan and Indian cooking, fenugreek possess an iconic flavor profile with bitter, tangy, and nutty flavor notes. This spice is not typically used in unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder but features in a more considerable proportion in Jaffna curry powder (a variety of Sri Lankan curry powder).

Black pepper– Tiny black pepper seeds are woodsy, earthy, and piney, offering the right amount of pepperiness and heat to this spice mixture. It is mainly featured in roasted curry powder, which we hardly see in the unroasted version. The robustness of black peppercorns intensifies when roasting, completing the overall piquant flavor

Jaffna curry powder

This is another particular type of curry powder from Sri Lankan cuisine. It features more red chiles, fenugreek seeds, and black pepper, emphasizing the heaty note in this version. Jaffna curry powder is intrinsic to the northern cuisine of Sri Lanka.