Name: Fragrant Sri Lankan Spice Powder
Yield: Makes a Scant ½ Cup
Cuisine: Sri Lanka
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons coriander seeds; One 2-inch piece cinnamon or cassia stick; 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds; 1 tablespoon fresh or frozen grated coconut; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; Seeds from 3 green cardamom pods; 1 tablespoon raw white rice; 2 sprigs fresh curry leaves (optional); 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Preparation info

Makes a Scant
½ Cup

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mangoes & Curry Leaves

By Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Published 2005

About

There are in Sri Lanka, as in all parts of the Subcontinent, many types of dried spice blends to be used in different situations. This particular powder is used to bring forward flavors in a dish just as it has finished cooking. It is also sometimes sprinkled on simple salads and the like just for an extra little hit of flavor (try sprinkling it on lightly oiled or buttered hot corn on the cob). As in most Sri Lankan spice blends, the ingredients are roasted to a particularly dark color.