All You Need: Sri Lankan Curry Powder Recipes

The secret to the authentic taste of Sri Lankan curries is the spice mix (curry powder). I highly recommend making curry powder yourself to get the real flavor of Sri Lankan curries. I am happy to help you make your own curry powders. In this post, I have shared ‘All You Need’ Sri Lankan curry powder recipes. These recipes will help you cook your favorite Sri Lankan curries.

All You Need:
Sri Lankan Curry Powder Recipes

Do You Love Sri Lankan Curries? The secret to the authentic taste of Sri Lankan curries is the spice mix. I highly recommend making curry powder yourself to get the real flavor of Sri Lankan curries. I am happy to help you make your own curry powder. So, in this post, I have shared commonly used curry powder recipes. Once you make them, you can cook all your favorite Sri Lankan-style curries in no time!

Sri Lankan Curry Powders;
No Standard Recipe

Most Sri Lankan households make curry powder at home rather than buying it from the shops. As with many other local dishes, there is no standard recipe for making curry powder too. Each family has its own spice blends, which are often personalized according to their preferences.

After trying a few different versions of recipes, I developed these curry powder recipes based on those personal experiences. It uses the proportions of spices that (I think) give the best flavor to Sri Lankan curries. They are homemade, fresh with the best flavor, with no dye, coloring, or preservatives. You will surely love the aroma and flavor of the curry powders that add to your curries.

I have shared all of the curry powder recipes on this blog before.
Please click the links to get the recipes with step-by-step instructions, helpful info, and tips.

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About Sri Lankan Curry Powder (Spice Mix)

Thunapaha (තුනපහ) or Thuna Paha (තුන පහ) refers to the curry powders (spice mixes) used in everyday cooking. There are many variations of curry powders across the country. But still, 3 varieties are prominent out of these types. You can make these curry powders using whole spices or ground spices.

1. Basic 3-Spice Curry Powder (Thunapaha)
2. Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha)
3. Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha)

1. Basic (3-Spice) Curry Powder

The base of most Sri Lankan curry powders combines coriander, cumin, and fennel. Sometimes, it also includes some other spices like turmeric and cinnamon. You can make it using whole spices or ground spices.

1-1 Basic Curry Powder Made With Whole Spices

You only need 3 whole spices: coriander, cumin, and fennel. I highly recommend using whole spices and grinding them yourself to make curry powders with the best flavor and aroma.

1-2 Basic Curry Powder Made With Ground Spices

You need only 3 ground spices; coriander, cumin, and fennel. Just measure the ground spices with a tablespoon or teaspoon, as required, and then mix them.

Sri Lankan Curry Recipes To Try
With Basic 3-Spice Curry Powder

Basic 3-spice Curry Powder is a mild spice mix and is mainly used in mild curries like vegetable curries. When making mild curries, I also use cinnamon sticks, turmeric powder, and roasted Fenugreek seeds with curry and pandan leaves.

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2. Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha)

Unroasted Curry Powder (Amu Thunapaha) is typically made with unroasted or slightly roasted spices. You can use either whole spices or ground spices. In this recipe, I used ground spices. Just measure the ground spices with a tablespoon or teaspoon, as required, and then mix them.

Sri Lankan Curry Recipes to Try
With Unroasted Curry Powder

You can use unroasted curry powder for making mild curries as well as spicy curries, according to your personal preferences. How about making Sri Lankan chicken curries or fish curries with this Unroasted Curry Powder?

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3. Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha)

Roasted Curry Powder (Badapu Thunapaha) is typically made with dry roasted whole spices. It is widely used for making spicy fish, meat, and egg curries.

Sri Lankan Curry Recipes To Try
with Roasted Curry Powder

Do you love Spicy Sri Lankan curries? Try these recipes with the Roasted Curry Powder you made.

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