Curry Powders of Southeast Asia

The convenience of using premixed curry powders quickly became apparent as we developed the recipes for this book. After questioning countless cooks around Southeast Asia, I learned that a majority of cooks bought ready-made curry powders instead of roasting, grinding, and assembling their own spice blends. I tracked down the most-respected brands, got samples, and devoted weeks to replicating their intricate flavors. I got enormous help from the research and development team at Elite Spice, Inc., led by Leslie Krause. Their chemical analysis, in-depth study, and expert sleuthing helped us decipher the fundamental spice components of the curry powders used throughout Southeast Asia. Using the results of our research, Elite made a series of samples for me.