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101 Things To Do Before Next Thursday: Number 4

101 TTDBNT: Number 4 - Make your own curry powder

It's still not Thursday, is it? And when Thursday does come around it still won't be NEXT Thursday, will it? No excuses then... you have all the time in the world. Wahey!

Mind you, this is such a simple treat to make that I wouldn't be surprised if you set to as soon as you've finished reading this.

I made one of Madhur Jaffrey's recipes from her 'Ultimate Curry Bible'. You can find the recipe here as well.

Assemble your ingredients

There are a few yellow mustard seeds in with the brown. You could probably get away with using all of one or the other. Those chillies are a few from the cupboard where I store my jams, jellies, preserves and wine. When I want fresh chillies I always over-buy and string the excess on a wire hanging in that dark place. They are dry and crumbly enough after a couple of months.

Dry roasted spices... your kitchen smells better than a freshly popped can of tennis balls

The dry roasting is best done in a pan which you can guarantee to clean well or it will taint future dishes. I keep an old wok dedicated to spices to avoid any such problem. Watch out during the grinding as well. Again, I reserve one of the four glass jars which attach to my electric blade grinder for spices alone.

Let the 'Ruby' commence

I made three times the recipe's quantities which filled a 250g/8oz jar. Modify the ingredients, especially the chillies, and find a mix which suits. Never err too heavy on the turmeric or fenugreek delivery, though, as they can make things go from hot but fragrant to bitter and twisted.

Do try. The aromas as you heat the spices are nearly as terrific as the knowledge that you made this yourself.

I now feel the insatiable need to do something before next Thursday. Perhaps writing '101 Things To Do Before Next Thursday: Number 5' will satisfy me.

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