Sri Lankan Curry Powder Recipe
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: May 14, 2023
To capture the authentic flavours of Sri Lanka, a high-quality curry powder is essential. This blend of toasted whole spices, dried coconut and rice delivers warm, fragrant curry bases and brings depth to fish, meat and vegetable dishes.
I love curries from across Asia, and Sri Lankan cuisine stands out for its bright, coconut-driven flavours and bold spice combinations. This curry powder belongs to my Indian and Asian curry collections and is designed to recreate authentic Sri Lankan profiles at home.
Spice blends vary widely across Sri Lanka — every region and family has its own twist. Blending your own mix lets you control freshness and intensity. When toasted and ground, whole spices produce a fragrant, layered powder perfect for curries, stews and marinades.
This blend balances warm, sweet and savoury notes. It works beautifully with fish, chicken, vegetables and lentils, and adds a genuine Sri Lankan character to your cooking.
What’s Ahead?
What is a curry powder?
Curry powder is a blended mix of ground spices used to give distinctive flavour to curries, stews and soups. While the term “curry” covers a wide range of dishes, a Sri Lankan curry powder has its own character: fragrant, often coconut-forward, and layered with warming whole spices.
Pre-mixed curry powders are widely available in many countries, but many Sri Lankan cooks prefer to toast and blend their own spices to retain freshness and tailor the heat and balance to taste.
Whether homemade or store-bought, using a Sri Lankan-style powder is a straightforward way to bring authentic Sri Lankan notes to your cooking.
Why it works?
Freshness and balance. Toasting whole spices and grinding them just before use unlocks essential oils and aromas that pre-ground blends simply lack. The toasted spices, combined with desiccated coconut and a little rice, add body, depth and a silky texture to Sri Lankan curries.
Stuff You’ll Need
This recipe relies on a variety of whole spices and a few drying agents to build texture and flavor. Most items are available from spice shops or supermarkets.
- Whole spices: fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon and fenugreek seeds. These provide warmth and fragrance.
- Chilli: dried Kashmiri chillies give gentle heat and a vivid red colour. For more heat, substitute a hotter dried chilli or add cayenne at the end.
- Dried coconut: desiccated coconut adds sweetness, body and acts as a natural thickener.
- Rice: a tablespoon of raw rice (basmati is fine) helps thicken sauces when ground with the spices.
- Dried fenugreek leaves: kasoori methi contributes a sweet, herbaceous aroma that lifts the blend.
The blend yields a warmly spiced powder that is mildly hot by default. If you prefer a spicier mix, simply increase the chilli or add a spoonful of hot chilli powder.
Step by Step
Making this curry powder is quick and straightforward. You’ll need either a spice/coffee grinder or a pestle and mortar to finish the job.
- Step 1: Measure all ingredients first. In a dry pan over medium-high heat, add the cinnamon stick and dried chillies and toast for about 20–30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the remaining whole spices, rice and desiccated coconut. Stir continuously until the spices become aromatic and begin to move in the pan—about one minute. Avoid burning, which will make the mix bitter.
- Step 3: Remove the spices from the heat and let them cool briefly. Grind in batches to a fine powder using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, then combine into a jar.
This quantity will season roughly four curries. Store the powder airtight in a cool, dark cupboard for up to six months for best flavour.
Pro Tips
- A dedicated spice grinder speeds up the process and yields a finer, more uniform powder. If using a mortar and pestle, grind in small batches for the best texture.
- Toast gently. Spices go from fragrant to bitter quickly, so keep them moving and remove from heat as soon as they release their aroma.
Usage & Storage Suggestions
- Use this powder wherever a recipe calls for curry powder, especially Sri Lankan dishes.
- For homemade curries, 3–4 tablespoons of this powder along with sautéed onion, garlic and ginger is a good starting point for sauces that serve four.
- Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. Best within six months, though it will remain usable longer with gradual loss of intensity.
- Label the jar — homemade blends can get forgotten over time.
Ready to get blending?
Making your own Sri Lankan curry powder is simple and rewarding. A small amount of toasting and grinding yields a fragrant blend that elevates every curry. Make a batch and you’ll have seasoning for several meals — a little upfront work for lasting flavour.
Enjoy experimenting and tailoring the heat and aroma to suit your taste.
More curry powder recipes
- Malaysian Curry Powder
- Madras Curry Powder
More Sri Lankan and South Indian recipes
For more Sri Lankan and South Indian inspiration, try these favourites:
- Chicken Ceylon (Sri Lankan Chicken Curry)
- Thora Malu (Sri Lankan Fish Curry)
- Cashew Nut Curry (Kaju Maluwa)
- Sri Lankan Green Masala Shrimp
- Keralan Chicken Curry (Nadan Kohzi)
- Parippu Curry – Kerala Style Dal
- Goan Chicken Vindaloo
- Chicken & Lentil Curry
- Chicken Chukka
- Jheenga Palak – Shrimp & Spinach Curry
- Lamb Madras Curry
- South Indian Salmon Curry
Any Questions? (FAQ)
Have a question about this Sri Lankan curry powder? Leave a comment and I’ll try to help.
What is Sri Lankan curry powder made from?
Recipes vary by region and by use — fish, vegetable and meat blends differ. Typical whole spices include coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, fenugreek, cardamom, mustard, chillies and fennel. Coconut, curry leaves, dried fenugreek leaves, and rice are also often added for texture and aroma.
Indian and Sri Lankan powders share many ingredients, particularly in the south of India. Sri Lankan blends often emphasise cloves, cinnamon and coconut more strongly and can be spicier, but there is considerable overlap and regional variation.
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Sri Lankan Curry Powder
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Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 5-inches)
- 6 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 1 tbsp basmati rice
- 4 tbsp coriander seeds
- 15 cloves
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp whole cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
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Measure all ingredients first so everything is ready to toast together.
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In a dry pan over medium-high heat, add the cinnamon and chillies and stir. Toast for about 1 minute until fragrant; the chillies may puff slightly.
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Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, stirring continuously. When the spices become aromatic and lively, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
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Grind the toasted spices in batches to a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Combine all batches.
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Allow to cool completely, then store in a sealed jar.
Notes
- Use this curry powder wherever a Sri Lankan curry recipe asks for ‘curry powder’. It can often replace the ground spices in South Indian and Sri Lankan recipes.
- To increase heat, use hotter dried chillies or add cayenne or hot chilli powder to the finished blend.
Storage
- Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard. Best within six months. This recipe makes enough for at least four curries.