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Homemade Durban Masala

A fiery, fragrant South African spice blend for rich Durban-style curries.

My homemade Durban curry powder is a bold blend of chilli, coriander, cumin, fennel and warming whole spices. Toasting the whole spices before grinding brings out their fragrance, while turmeric gives the blend its characteristic golden-red colour. Keep a jar in the cupboard for chicken, meat, bean and vegetable curries—or anywhere you want that distinctive Durban-style warmth.

By Ivana Sanshia · Updated Sep 2026

Homemade Durban Masala, a South African recipe
Prep5 min
Cook5 min
Cooling10 min
Total10 min
Serves1 medium jar / 180–200 g
LevelEasy
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Before you start

Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.

Method

  1. 1

    Toast the whole spices

    Add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick to a dry frying pan. Toast over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Don't allow the spices to burn.

  2. 2

    Cool

    Immediately transfer the toasted spices to a plate and leave them to cool completely.

  3. 3

    Grind

    Break the cinnamon into smaller pieces. Grind all the toasted spices to a fine powder in a spice grinder.

The rest of this recipe

There’s 5 more ingredients and 2 more steps to go.

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Ivana Sanshia’s note

There isn't one single definitive formula. Durban curry blends vary between families and spice shops, with differences in chilli heat and the proportions of coriander, cumin and other aromatics.

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