# Best Way to Use Madras Curry Powder **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 13, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266 "2025-02-13T13:47:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/1 "2025-02-13T13:47:22Z")
I got a jar of “Madras Curry Powder” for Xmas and have finally started using it. My current technique is to heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil and cook a big heaping spoonful of powder in that for a minute or two before adding butter and some white wine. I’ve then cooked either veggies or shrimp in it after that and served it over coconut ginger rice. I really enjoy it but I am looking for recommendations. Can I use stock instead of wine for the liquid? Can I add cream to make a sauce for pouring over separately cooked food? Or should I use plain yogurt for that? Would raisins and/or cashews be good in this? What say you all? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/2 "2025-02-13T14:23:18Z")
> **[Easy Madras Chicken Curry Recipe | A Spicy Perspective](https://www.aspicyperspective.com/easy-madras-chicken-curry-recipe/#recipe)** > > A spicy, easy chicken curry recipe that has the wonderfully deep flavors of a classic Indian curry, but is ready in less than an hour! Here’s a pretty bog standard “Madras curry” recipe. Without sautéed onions, garlic and ginger anything you make with a curry powder is going to be fairly one dimensional. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/3 "2025-02-13T15:01:31Z")
I’ve found that it’s tasty anywhere “curry powder” is called for. I think I’d add coconut milk instead of cream or yogurt to your existing recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/4 "2025-02-13T15:22:48Z")
How would you use the ginger? Diced, grated, or powdered? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/5 "2025-02-13T15:23:19Z")
One of the first dishes I learned to make came from Graham Kerr’s Galloping Gourmet show. A simple recipe starting with browning the curry powder in oil, adding some thinly sliced onion strings for a couple minutes, stirring in chicken broth, then adding a cut up chicken and simmering for about an hour. To make it a one pot meal I would throw in a package of ramen. It produces very tender and flavorful chicken. Wouldn’t hurt to add some coconut milk or cream and other seasonings to your liking. Doing it now I think id brown the chicken separately before adding it to the broth. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/6 "2025-02-13T15:26:42Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > How would you use the ginger? Diced, grated, or powdered? Cut a few strips about 1/4" thick that you can remove if you like. Id just eat them. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/7 "2025-02-13T15:36:40Z")
Don’t tell my mother, but I buy ginger-garlic paste in a jar. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/8 "2025-02-13T15:44:08Z")
I’ll try it one way then the other. I bet I’ll like them both. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/9 "2025-02-13T15:54:47Z")
Stir into some yogurt like you said, add salt as needed, and use for a chicken or veg marinade/sauce. I particularly like it with zucchini, of all things. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-use-madras-curry-powder/1014266/10 "2025-02-13T15:59:39Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Don’t tell my mother, but I buy ginger-garlic paste in a jar. Cape Malay, not Indian, but same diff - that’s how my mother, grandmother and all the aunties did it. Who am I to argue with the aunties? @Hypno-Toad, I’d swap out _ghee_ for the olive oil+butter, it gives a very different flavour profile. Temper the curry powder for a minute in that, then add sliced onions (ETA and the garlic+ginger paste) until they soften, then whatever you want to brown/caramelize a bit (at a bare minimum, this has to include tomatoes, but can include parboiled potatoes and chicken), and then everything else (other veggies, shrimp), and top off with coconut milk, not stock or wine. Season, simmer and reduce the sauce to the consistency you prefer. If you’re doing meat, fish or shrimp, I’d also do a bit of a dry rub with the powder and leave to marinate in the fridge for a bit, before you add to the pan.