Topic: Question regarding mix powder etc

[KEROUAC1957]

Hi I am a complete beginner so sorry if it's a naive question. Something confusing me at the moment is this. I understand there are various combinations of the main spices which you can use to create a mix powder but sometimes included in those mixes are also garam masala and curry powder. I thought that garam masala and curry powder were themselves spice mixes which already contain some of the main spices. So it seems like you add some of the ingredients two or three times?

So I suppose what I'm trying to understand is what is the main difference between a mixture of the main spices and garam masala and curry powder (which I think are both a mixture of spices). Perhaps I'm over thinking this. 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Hi I am a complete beginner so sorry if it's a naive question. Something confusing me at the moment is this. I understand there are various combinations of the main spices which you can use to create a mix powder but sometimes included in those mixes are also garam masala and curry powder. I thought that garam masala and curry powder were themselves spice mixes which already contain some of the main spices. So it seems like you add some of the ingredients two or three times?

So I suppose what I'm trying to understand is what is the main difference between a mixture of the main spices and garam masala and curry powder (which I think are both a mixture of spices). Perhaps I'm over thinking this. 

Not at all -- it is a very intelligent and important question.  Both curry powder and garam masala are already blends of other spices, but they play a different role in the preparation of the final dish; the curry powder is added early and provides what you might think of as the "running bass" and the "melody"; the garam masala, on the other hand, is added late and adds the "grace notes".  A so-called "mix powder" often contains curry powder, together with other spices (many or most of which are already present in the curry powder) , the idea being that it would not be possible to accurately measure the minute quantities of some of the spices were they to be added separately to an individual portion, so they are pre-blended in bulk to achieve the correct proportions and then a small amount of the blend is added thereby preserving the ratios.  For myself I eschew "mix powder", preferring to add individual spices and/or pre-made  blends such as Bassar Curry Masala.

** Phil.

[Sverige]

Kerouac, you are correct that curry powder already contains the spices which are then added again during the preparation of mix powder. The key point is that by adding those spices (mostly turmeric, cumin, coriander, but often some others in smaller amounts) you are changing the proportions of the overall mix. The spices I've mentioned, which are added to the curry powder, are the key flavours of BIR - turmeric especially so.

 Consider for a moment that turmeric is already the dominant spice in any typical curry powder, and then in making mix powder you maybe as much turmeric as curry powder. The proportions of turmeric in the resulting blend are much higher, which gives you a clue as to how important a role this spice plays in the symphony of flavours known as BIR. Others which are added in large measures to mix powder, eg coriander and cumin, also play important roles.

If you were to only use curry powder to cook with, you would not have nearly so much turmeric, coriander and cumin in your dishes relative to the other spices which play more of a nuanced role.

BIR cuisine developed as a low cost "cheap night out", with first generation immigrant cooks providing cheap labour and restaurant owners who always had an eye on minimising the bottom line costs. It's likely they started bulking out curry powder with spices which could be bought more cheaply in bulk and by happy coincidence found that the flavours which resulted were accepted and came to be adored by the customer base. However and why-ever it began, bulking out the curry powders with extra turmeric, coriander, cumin and others is so standard in BIR that we should do it at home if we want to get close to real BIR flavours.

[KEROUAC1957]

Thanks for the replies. I think I understand a bit more now. One other thing. With curry powder does it mean bog standard "curry powder" from the supermarket?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Thanks for the replies. I think I understand a bit more now. One other thing. With curry powder does it mean bog standard "curry powder" from the supermarket?

Better one of the more authentic brands such as Rajah, Bolsts, etc.
** Phil.

[Sverige]

Kerouac. Any brand of "mild madras" curry powder will be suitable. Avoid "hot madras" or anything which is more specialised such as blends sold as spice mixes for named curries.

Popular brands amongst BIR takeaways and restaurants would be TRS, East End or Rajah.

[Garp]

Kerouac. I don't use proprietary curry powder in my spice mix for the exact reason you have stated - the vast majority of the spices in the curry powder will be in the spice mix. So just mess around with the ratios of the main spices until you get something that produces curries that you are happy with.

I have recently started to add a little fennel and garlic powder to my mix and upped the turmeric, but can't say it has made a huge difference.

[KEROUAC1957]

On the subject of curry powder I found some Rajah Mild Madras. It might seem an obvious answer but is this really mild as I always associated Madras with being very hot? (My daughter is particularly sensitive to hot curries so I have to be careful) 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Yes, compared to many it is mild; should be fine, just don't use to excess.
** Phil.

[Secret Santa]

Kerouac, most curries require the addition of at least a small amount of extra chilli powder for colour, flavour and obviously spice heat. But if your daughter is sensitive to hot curries you'd probably be best, at least for your first effort, to just use the mild madras powder without any extra chilli and if that goes down well you can up the chilli bit by bit on your next attempts.