Spices, curry powder

Curry powder is a pre-mixed spice blend, typically built around turmeric, cumin, coriander, and dried chile, used to season stews, lentil dishes, roasted vegetables, marinades, and sauces with one shake rather than measuring out a half-dozen individual spices. Cooks often bloom it briefly in hot oil or ghee before adding other ingredients, which helps release its full aroma, and it pairs naturally with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Blends vary widely from brand to brand and region to region, so it is worth tasting a new jar in a small dish before relying on it for a full pot of stew or curry.

Store curry powder in a sealed container away from light and heat to preserve its color and aroma, and use it within a year since ground spice blends lose potency over time. A teaspoon is only 2 grams, so while the fiber content looks striking at 53.2 grams and 190% DV per 100 grams, in practice a spoonful of curry powder contributes only a small, incidental amount of fiber to a dish, its main role remaining flavor rather than nutrition. It is also notably rich in vitamin E at 168% DV and iron at 106% DV per 100 grams, reflecting the concentrated nature of dried ground spices generally, and its 14 grams of fat per 100 grams comes largely from the seeds and dried aromatics ground into the mix.