ATUL’S SPICE RACK

Make your own spice blends, from the special powders for the recipes on these pages to the curry staple garam masala. Store in an airtight jar for up to 6 months

JAPANESE CURRY POWDER Makes about 60g

Grind 1 dried bay leaf, 1 star anise, ¾tsp fennel seeds and ¹/8tsp each fenugreek seeds and dried sage to a powder. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl and add 1tbsp ground turmeric, 1½tsp each ground coriander, cumin and black pepper, ¾tsp red chilli powder, ½tsp ground cardamom, ¼tsp each ground allspice, cloves and cinnamon and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

GROUND TOASTED CUMIN SEEDS

Whole seeds and spices are often toasted and ground before use to intensify their flavours. Dry-fry the cumin seeds over a medium heat, stirring until they become aromatic and start to pop. Watch closely so they do not burn. Tip out of the pan and leave to cool. Grind them to a powder. This is best done just before using, so I recommend doing it in a pestle and mortar.

SOUTH AFRICAN CURRY POWDER Makes about 50g

Heat a pan over a medium heat. Add 40g cumin and 25g fennel seeds and dry-fry, stirring, until they pop. Tip on to a plate. Add

10g dried peri-peri chillies, a 2cm piece of cinnamon bark, 1 clove and 2tsp black peppercorns to the pan, and stir until aromatic. Cool, then transfer the seeds and spices to a grinder. Add ¾tsp ground turmeric and grind to a fine powder. Pass through a fine sieve.

ATUL’S GARAM MASALA Makes about 40g

Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add 5 green and 1 black cardamom pods, bruised, 5 cloves, 1 bay leaf, ½ a dried red chilli, 1cm cinnamon bark, 4tbsp coriander seeds, 1tbsp cumin seeds and ¼tsp black peppercorns, and stir until aromatic and the seeds start to pop. Tip them onto a plate. Cool, then transfer to a spice grinder. Add ¾tsp dried edible rose petals, ¼tsp ground ginger and a grating of nutmeg. Grind to a powder and sieve finely.