Curry Powder, IC Style
As many with IC encounter, hot spices are off limits. Their fierce potency is far too irritating for our IC bladders. However with a little trial and error I’ve found that you can concoct wonderful spice blends with bladder friendly herbs and spices.
I love Indian food but totally avoided at first when I developed IC. In the past year or so I’ve ventured back into the Indian inspired kitchen and actually made Indian dishes that were okay with my bladder (my IBS isn’t always a happy camper though). One standby has become this recipe for curry powder.
Unlike many commercial blends it does not contain added preservatives or chemical ingredients. Nor does it include hotter spices like chilli, fenugreek, cloves or mustard (seeds or powder).
I have not specified quantities as you can make as little or as much of these blends as you like. Store them in airtight containers such as little glass jars or empty spice bottles that you have reused (remember to re-label them if you are reusing, you wouldn’t want to grab what you thought was the nutmeg and end up with a curry flavoured cake).
Curry Powder, IC Style
In a mixing bowl combine equal parts (or as you wish):
Dried coriander
Ground cumin
Turmeric
Ginger
(½- ¼ the amount of the other spices) ground black pepper (or white); please note that pepper is a known vulvodynia agitator, if you are sensitive to oxalates simply skip the pepper
Those are the basics that I use as my base; if your bladder can handle them you could also try adding a pinch or two of:
Ground mace
Celery seeds
Fennel seeds
Coriander seeds
Garlic powder/salt or dried garlic pieces
Onion powder/salt or dried pieces
Nigella seeds or poppy seeds
Play around with ingredients and vary the spices with the dish you want to make. For a coconut and carrot soup I like to up the ginger, and even a knife tip full of cinnamon or all spice sometimes. For veggies like cauliflower or potatoes (or yams) I like to add onion powder and fennel seeds to the basic mix.
I would say it's the pepper in that list which would stand to be the most problematic ingredient. If you are buying curry powder from a store just remember to read the ingredient list well, and avoid those with high levels (aka long lists) of preservatives and chemicals...It should be turmeric gives curry its distinctive golden hue, not a combo of 6 food colourings.
Some wonderful uses beyond curry itself for curry powder are:
-Stir 1 part curry powder into 4 parts of salt, combine well and store in an airtight container.
-Sprinkle this tasty mixture over warm French fries, potato chips, baked potatoes, steamed veggies, popcorn or even corn chips (tortilla chips)
-A pinch is lovely over fish fillets, especially fish like snapper and bass
-Use it in stir-fries, stews, soups and chowders
-Sprinkle over chicken or turkey pieces and bake or bbq them
-Mixed with a little olive oil as a dip for bread or Indian naan bread, chapatti or paratha
I hope that you try making your own curry (and other spice blends). Start very mild, say just dried coriander, ground cumin, ginger and turmeric and if you’re okay with that move up to more exotic ingredients. Remember the IC diet does not have to be bland or boring!