Bengal Currie Powder

Ingredients

• 6 oz coriander seed
• 3 oz black pepper
• 1 oz cummin seed
• 1 1/2 oz fenugreek seed
• 3/4 oz cayenne pepper
• 3 oz pale turmeric
• 8 oz coriander seed
• 4 oz Chinese turmeric
• 2 oz black pepper
• 1/2 oz cassia
• 1 oz white ginger
• 1/2 oz cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Reduce the ingredients separately to the finest powder and pass them through a fine hair or lawn sieve.
2. Mix thoroughly. No. 1: coriander seed, 6 oz.; black pepper, 3 oz.; cummin-seed, 1 oz.; fenugreek-seed, 1-1/2 oz.; cayenne pepper, 3/4 oz.; best pale turmeric, 3 oz.
3. Set the powder before the fire to dry, and turn it often.
4. Withdraw it, let it become cold, and bottle it immediately. Keep it closely corked.
5. The second receipt, which Acton says appears to her the best: coriander-seed, 8 oz.; Chinese turmeric, 4 oz.; black pepper, 2 oz.; cassia, 1/2 oz.; white ginger, 1 oz.; cayenne pepper, 1/2 oz. Prepare, dry and bottle it in the same way.
6. Acton's caution: she cannot think a large proportion of black pepper a desirable addition to currie powder, as it gives a strong coarse flavour - but as some are accustomed to it, she prints both receipts without varying either.