Curry Powder

makes about 900 g or 2 pounds

450 g or 1 pound coriander seeds
(ketumbar)

110 g or 4 ounces cumin (jintan puteh)
60 g or 2 ounces fennel (jintan manis)

15 g or ½ ounce cassia bark
(kayu manis)

6 cloves (bunga chingkay)
40 g or 1½ ounces white peppercorns

110 g or 4 ounces dried chillies,
stems removed

75 g or 2½ ounces dried turmeric
(kunyit)

1 piece nutmeg (buah pala)
5 cardamom pods (buah pelaga)

150 g or 5½ ounces white poppy
seeds (kas kas) (optional)

1.    Pick out tiny pebbles and other impurities from the
coriander, cumin and fennel.

2.    Rinse all the spices separately and leave them to
dry on large trays, preferably made from rattan. Place
under direct sun to dry over three to four days, stirring
occasionally to ensure even sunning.

3.    Warm up a large wok. Dry-fry the coriander for 4 to
5 minutes until it is fragrant. Set aside. Then dry-fry the
cumin and the fennel (you could do this together) for about
2 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices.

4.    Add the remaining spices and dry-fry altogether for
about 5 minutes until the mixture is warm and fragrant.

5.    Grind the combined spices into a fine powder (a coffee
grinder does the trick). Dry-fry it once again until it is
warm and has a strong spicy whiff. Leave aside to cool
completely on a large metal tray. Then store the powder
in an airtight bottle.

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