Why it works: Turmeric and cardamom match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 667 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Receipt Eor Curry Powder
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Pound each ingredient separately until very fine.
Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Dry and store
Dry the mixture by placing it near the fire.
Store in a wide-mouthed bottle, cork it tightly, and keep in a dry place.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Turmeric + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together667 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Turmeric + fenugreektop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together229 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Turmeric + gingertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,776 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Coriander + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together872 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Ginger + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,114 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Turmeric
- Gives the powder its yellow colour and an earthy, bitter flavour.
- Coriander seed
- Adds a citrusy, mild flavour that forms the body of the blend.
- Black pepper
- Contributes sharp, pungent heat and aroma.
- Cayenne pepper
- Adds direct chilli heat to the blend.
The step that matters
Dry the mixture by placing it near the fire. Residual moisture left in ground spices lets them clump and spoil in storage. Gentle drying keeps the powder free-flowing and stable before it is sealed.
Swap the caraway
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (turmeric, ginger, coriander, cardamom, pepper, fenugreek):
- Cuminfits better
- Cinnamonfits better
- Fennelfits better
- Carawaythe original
Fit is the average pairing score against turmeric, ginger, coriander, cardamom, pepper, fenugreek. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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