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Pre-made curry powder mixes have exploded both on the home turf and abroad for a variety of reasons. The strong NRI base abroad along with the expansion of global culinary preferences are the major driving factors. However, the convenience that comes with these little packets of flavour bombs, wins out fairly and clearly as the primary driving force behind the advent of curries. Those who love to taste these mixes, however, had a scare earlier this year when packaged variants like Fish Curry Masala, Madras Curry Powder and Sambar Masala Powder and the quintessential curry powder were ‘banned’ in Singapore and Hong Kong. The reason? These mixes were found to be adulterated with carcinogens or cancer-causing chemicals, particularly ethylene oxide.
To be clear, ethylene oxide has been identified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, specifically linked to rising cases of breast cancer. The commerce ministry, which also regulates the spices board, informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, August 6, that the powder exported from India was not in fact “banned” by Singapore and Hong Kong. Instead, some consignments were put under a hold-and-test regime for a month by the Singapore food agency.
Are curry powder mixes unsafe?
Anything that contains carcinogens can be considered unsafe. That being said, it is often difficult to avoid certain carcinogens in daily life and consumption, which is why acceptable intake limits are suggested. In the case of the ‘banned’ curry powder, the presence of ethylene oxide is what started the mess, violating Singapore and Hong Kong’s acceptable limits.
Whatever the difference in acceptable limits between India, Singapore and Hong Kong, why expose yourself to carcinogens when you can avoid them altogether? This is where homemade curry powder recipes come in. While it’s not as convenient as opening a packet and flavouring your Desi dishes, a little extra effort will surely be a positive step in favour of your long-term health. Follow this simple 20-minute recipe from Swasthi Ki Recipe that will give you your very own packaged jar of curry powder.
Material: Dried red chillies – 2 to 3, Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp, Cumin seeds – 1 1/2 tbsp, Fennel seeds – 1 1/2 tsp, Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp, Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp, Black pepper – 1/2 tsp, Turmeric – 1/4 tsp, Any type of lentils – 1 tbsp, Curry leaves – 1 to 2 sprigs, Ground ginger – 1/2 tsp, Star anise – 1, Green cardamom – 5, Cinnamon – 1 2 inch piece, Cloves – 4.
Method: Put coriander seeds, dried red chilies, black pepper, star anise, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom on a hot pan and roast till the coriander seeds turn crisp. Now add cumin seeds and fennel seeds and roast till they start emitting a fragrant aroma. Keep it aside to cool. Roast fenugreek seeds separately till they change color and start emitting a nutty smell. Add mustard seeds and roast for about a minute and then remove from the flame. Roast lentils and curry leaves separately. When everything cools down, add it to the blender along with the rest of the ingredients and grind it finely. Cool the powder and store in an airtight container.
By including almost all the major spices found in Indian markets, this recipe makes a great base for your cooking experiments. Feel free to change its flavor profile by playing with the quantities of the ingredients.
Would you consider making your own curry powder?
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