Keeping the art of homemade Indian spice mixes alive

Padma uses six different spices as well as chilli powder and curry leaves to make her mothers 80-year-old curry powder recipe. - YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

From time immemorial, Indian women have been making their own spice mixes, the basis for delicious meals like chicken curry, mutton varuval, vegetable curry, dhal, briyani and so much more. Back in the day, it was common practice for women in the household to buy, clean, roast and assemble a concoction of spices to send to the nearest flour mill to be ground into various powders.

A spice mix is a carefully calibrated constellation of spices paired together and dry-roasted to release flavour and aroma. When a spice is dry-roasted, the flavours become more intense and this is reflected in the final product, which is typically ground to a fine powder and packed with flavour. Examples of spice mixes include fish and meat curry powder and garam masala.