Sluttishly Spicy: Spice Blends for National Curry Week

Hooray! As well as being Chocolate Week, it's also Curry Week, so this is the greatest of all the weeks on the calendar. We're awash with curry recipes on the site - tried our lamb saag hangover curry yet? - and I'm SURE you've all got our book, which tells you how to make any curry, ever.

So let's talk spices. Ever bought one of those cheaty spice mixes from the supermarket, with tiny amounts of all the spices you need to make a particular dish? I'm not against quick fixes in the kitchen, but they are ludicrously expensive. Pick up bags of your favourite spices from your local Indian shop for 70p each and you'll make huge savings. You can even pre-mix them yourself so they're always to hand in the kitchen.

If you only buy one thing, make it garam masala, a magical combination of spices that adds zing and depth. Perfect for that moment when you finally taste something and think "It's good, but it needs...something." It's the only spice mix you'll ever need.

Here are a few spice blends to try at home. All are for dishes for two people.

Bombay potatoes

This is a nice basic one to get you started. Gently fry the spices (except the garam masala) in a medium-hot pan for 30 seconds to let them release their aromas, then tip in sliced potatoes and fry until cooked. Sprinkle over the garam masala.

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala

North Indian curries

North and south India have very different flavours. North Indian food tends to be heavier and spicier, a bit more rough and ready than the gentler fragrances of the south. South Indian food is more likely to have cream and coconut to temper it too.

These spices would work with a chicken, lamb or vegetable curry. Fry them all (except the garam masala) until they start to smell delicious, throw in a hefty amount of garlic, some chopped tomatoes, and whatever's forming the basis of your curry. Cook until tender, then mix in the garam masala and serve.

• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala

South Indian curries

Again, try this with whatever meat, fish or veg you fancy. Follow the same method as the north Indian curry, but use coconut milk instead of tomatoes and go easy on the garlic.

• 2cm piece of cinnamon stick
• 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala

There you go - three starter kits to get you going. Keen to experiment, or after a more obscure spice? Take a look at these online shops, which will cater to your every culinary whim.

Photo from srqpic's Flickr photostream.