Why it works: Turmeric and coriander match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,253 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Mr. ARNOTT’s Currie-powder
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Combine all the seeds in a bowl.
Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Store and use
Store the curry powder in an airtight container away from light.
Use as needed in curries and other dishes.
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 + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,253 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Turmeric + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,478 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Coriander + peppertop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,949 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Turmeric
- Gives the blend its yellow colour and earthy, slightly bitter flavour.
- Coriander seed
- Supplies a citrusy, floral aroma that forms the base of the blend.
- Cumin seed
- Adds warm, earthy aroma that gives curry its recognisable character.
- Fenugreek seed
- Contributes a bittersweet, maple-like aroma and depth of flavour.
- Cayenne pepper
- Provides the heat, which can be adjusted to taste.
The step that matters
Store away from light in an airtight container. Ground spices lose their aromatic compounds quickly when exposed to air, heat and light, so sealed, dark storage keeps the powder fragrant and flavourful for longer.
Swap the coriander
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (turmeric, pepper):
- Cuminfits better
- Cardamomfits better
- Gingerfits about as well
- Corianderthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against turmeric, pepper. 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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