On 2008-07-20, Tracy > wrote:

> never used just plain old curry powder. I do have access to a large
> Asian grocery - I just need to know what to look for.

> The recipe I want to try is he
>
> http://thaifood.about.com/od/vegetar...ifriedrice.htm

The about.com domain is a crapshoot at best. It's primary goal is to
generate revenue, not provide the best information. Curry "powder" is about
as low as you can go on the spice hierarchy. Like about.com, it's about
marketing rather than authenticity.

A curry is a method of cooking, not a spice. Yes, a curry requires a lot of
spices, but a spice "powder" calling itself a curry is most likely the worst
option available. Your Thai pastes are undoubetedly a better choice. Try
one or the other. I make my own curry spices from scratch or buy whole
spice masalas and grind when needed. Just about any alternative is better
than using something calling itself "curry powder".

nb