When I first began looking into a low FODMAP diet, the phrases garlic and onion-free filled me with dread. I just couldn’t get my head around cooking and eating without them. It turns out that with recipes like this DIY Low FODMAP Curry Powder, it’s way easier than expected to create superbly spiced dishes without precious onion and garlic.
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If you’re still in the early stages of your low FODMAP journey you may need some further convincing. Take a bit of time to Google some onion and garlic-free, Jain, Buddhist and Ayurvedic recipes and you’ll see what I mean.
I don’t know about you but curries have been one of my go-to comfort meals since childhood. It was a standing joke in our house that we were weaned on spicy food as mam craved curries throughout her pregnancies with both me and my sister. It wasn’t unheard of for her to send my poor dad out, on foot, at all hours of the night, to try to find somewhere she could get her fix. This was decades before the joys of “Just Eat” and the likes, no easy apps, no one-stop-shop, just a telephone directory and a man on a mission.
Raised in an inner-city area of Leeds we grew up with neighbours of all ethnicities and morphed the best of their sacred spices, exotic ingredients and generations-old recipes into hybrid dishes to suit our tastes. So finding a way to cook some of my favourite comfort foods during my elimination phase and beyond was always going to be a priority for me
All this brings me to today’s pantry staple recipe, a DIY low FODMAP curry powder that’s cheap, easy to make, free from FODMAPs and gluten-free. Although ready-made low FODMAP curry powder does exist it’s not always the cheapest or easiest thing to track down. When I first began searching for it I started looking for specialist brands online and quickly discovered they were out of my price range. I also realised they were simply a combination of the individual spices I had sitting at the back of my pantry. “Hello whole cumin seeds, I’m looking at you!”.
Since then I’ve been able to find, usually by chance, supermarket brands of curry powder, without added garlic granules. The issue I had during the elimination phase was that depending on where we shopped and what they happened to have in stock, I couldn’t always rely on these being available when I needed them. This helped to make up my mind to put those neglected spices to good use and start experimenting with my own blends.
To get the best flavour we begin by dry toasting some of the spices whole, before grinding them up into a powder. This method comes with a bit of work involved, particularly if you’re grinding by hand, but in my opinion, it’s worth the extra effort. To speed things up you can substitute the whole seeds and flakes for their ground alternatives. Skip the toasting and grinding stage and simply shake everything together in a jar.
This is the most basic version of a low FODMAP Indian-style curry powder you can get. I focused on affordable, familiar spices that most people should be able to get their hands on. In all honesty, there’s no end to what you can add to this to achieve different dishes, flavour profiles and variations. This is the main reason that I like to do this in small batches as I tend to switch things up every time I make it.
Let me know in the comments below if this lofo life has you favouring convenience over cost when it comes to your low FODMAP flavours?
Happy blending!
Low FODMAP Curry Powder FAQ’s
The majority of shop-bought curry powder is high FODMAP because it contains onion powder, garlic powder or both. It is possible to find some blends in the supermarket that are free from garlic or onion. This makes them accidentally low FODMAP and safe to use.
If you do find a brand that appears safe then my advice is to check the best before date and stock up accordingly. I also recommend double-checking the ingredients each time you buy it as I found that the ingredients sometimes changed and was caught out a few times by the addition of onion or garlic in “safe” blends that I’d used in the past.
People with IBS or digestive issues can often experience discomfort when eating hot or spicy foods. This is generally a non-FODMAP reaction and can occur even when the food is free from known triggers such as onion and garlic.
Whilst it tends to be hotter spices such as chilli, cayenne pepper, mustard seeds and black peppercorns that cause the biggest issues, everyone is different in which spices they can tolerate.
Don’t worry, not being able to eat certain spices doesn’t mean your food needs to be bland. DIY spice blends such as this one are the best way to tailor the ingredients to suit you. Just leave out or substitute the offending spice whilst experimenting with the rest.
Many spices are considered beneficial to the digestive system and would traditionally have been selected for their healing properties rather than simply for their flavour. Whilst they each have individual healing properties many are known to ease nausea, reduce gas and bloating and stimulate the digestive system whilst reducing inflammation. A few such spices include:
Ginger
Turmeric
Cinnamon
Cardamom
Fenugreek
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
Fennel seeds
You might be pleasantly surprised by how many spices you can enjoy when eaten in the right combinations.
As written, this curry blend is wheat and gluten-free. If you need spices to be wheat and gluten-free for health reasons then it’s important to buy from reputable suppliers, in their pure form wherever possible.
Sometimes due to cost, storage or contamination, ground spices may contain additives. Due to the typical quantities used the majority of these are suitable on the low FODMAP diet but may not be suitable for those on a strict wheat-free or gluten-free diet.
The two main spices to be aware of are turmeric and asafoetida which are the most likely to be blended with wheat to dilute the quantity of spice and keep the price low. It’s possible that any ground spice may have anti-caking agents added such as calcium silicate, silicon dioxide or sodium aluminium silica. Spices can also be cross-contaminated with wheat and gluten at the manufacturing stage.
Beware of suspiciously cheap, imported spices and always ask about the ingredients if buying in bulk.
If you’re short on time, don’t have the storage space for multiple jars of spices or are just not feeling like spending extra time in the kitchen then you might want to check out these ready-made onion and garlic-free products:
~ Spice Pots: Gluten free, low FODMAP spice blends. Comes in korma, bhuna and Goan.
~ Bays Kitchen: Mild korma curry sauce (260g) Gluten free and low FODMAP certified sauces available in a wide variety of flavours.
~ Smoke N Sanity: Tikka masala seasoning (100g). Certified low FODMAP by Monash. Also certified gluten free and kosher and contains no MSG.
Just be aware that these brands are not necessarily low FODMAP certified and also have other blends in their range that contain onion and garlic. Always double-check the ingredients before purchasing.
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Cooks Notes
This curry powder is intended to be used as a low FODMAP substitute for generic curry powder in low FODMAP cooking. It is not a curry sauce mix and will not thicken up.
To get the most benefit out of using whole spices this blend should be used within a few weeks of grinding. The aroma and flavour of curry powder are at their best when the spices are ground close to cooking time.
Flavour Variations
Some of my top suggestions for things to consider adding to future batches would include:
- Asafoetida/Hing
- Mustard seeds
- Clove
- Star anise
- Fenugreek
- Cardamom
These additions would work nicely in an Indian or Chinese-style curry powder. If you’re looking for a different type of flavour, such as Thai, Japanese or katsu curry then try adding some of the following;
- Lemongrass
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Sugar
- Peanut butter powder
- Desiccated coconut
For something a bit different then experiment with;
- Dried mint
- Amchur/Mango powder
- Juniper berry
- Saffron
Some of these have specific FODMAP portions. Always double-check the Monash app for current safe servings.
FODMAP Notes
FODMAP Servings
As written this recipe is low FODMAP at any serving size. The recommended serving size for flavour purposes is ½ - 1 Tbsp. This recipe contains approx:
- 0 Fructan
- 0 GOS
- 0 Mannitol
- 0 Sorbitol
- Trace Fructose from chilli flakes
- 0 Lactose - All my recipes are vegan and therefore free from dairy and lactose. Yay!
* Always refer to the Monash app for current safe serves and FODMAP categorizations.
FODMAP Ingredient Notes
Dried chilli flakes:
Edited Sept 2022. Previously unlisted in the Monash app. Recently added to the app as a Low FODMAP serving of 2g or 1 teaspoon. Larger servings of 13g or 1.5 tablespoons are moderate for fructose. Servings of 17g or 2 tablespoons contain high amounts of fructose.
Some people may have non-FODMAP reactions to the capsaicin content of chilli which can trigger flushing, heartburn and stomach pain. Reduce or omit depending on your personal tolerance.
Free From
- Celery Free
- Garlic Free
- Gluten Free (Check the individual ground spices do not have added wheat or anti-caking agents)
- Mustard Free
- Oil Free
- Onion Free
- Peanut Free
- Sesame Free
- Soy Free
- Tree Nut Free
- Wheat Free (Check the individual ground spices do not have added wheat or anti-caking agents)
- FODMAP free.
Please always double-check your ingredients to ensure your products, brands and version is “free-from” where required. Where we list free from FODMAPs please be aware we are referring to free from excess FODMAPs as defined by low/high FODMAP limits in the Monash app and not a true allergy-safe definition of “free-from”. Most plant foods will still contain some level of FODMAPs but in amounts that are considered to be tolerable for most people on the low FODMAP diet.
Recipe
DIY Low FODMAP Curry Powder
Equipment
- Pestle and mortar
- Optional - Electric spice grinder
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- ½ tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- ¼ teaspoon dried crushed chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- To a dry, heavy-bottomed pan or skillet add 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, ½ tablespoon whole cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds. Toast for roughly 90 seconds until the seeds are fragrant. Keep the seeds moving around the pan to avoid burning and once they start to pop remove them from the heat.
- Allow the seeds to cool slightly then pour them into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. I prefer to grind by hand as I find it really therapeutic. It does take a bit of effort but in less than 5 minutes the seeds and husks should have broken down into a coarse powder.
- Add ¼ teaspoon dried crushed chilli flakes and continue to grind. If grinding by hand you’re unlikely to fully break down the chilli seeds. If you would prefer a finer powder then substitute the flakes with ½ teaspoon of ground chilli powder.
- Add the remaining ground spices, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the mortar and stir well to fully combine the powders.
- Store this curry powder in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep it in a cool dark place and out of direct sunlight.
Recipe Video
Notes
Recipe Video
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