A New York Times Notable Cookbook by S.H. Fernando Jr.
Using a family recipe that includes 13 all-natural ingredients—coriander, cumin, fennel, black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, mustard seeds, cardamoms, cloves, turmeric, raw rice, pandanus, and curry leaves—Fernando dry-roasts and blends these ingredients by hand in small batches to create an intoxicating and multi-layered melange of flavor. He originally started making the curry powder for himself, giving it away to friends and family, but when the rave reviews came back Fernando decided to start bottling the stuff and selling it.
The result is Skiz’s Original Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder, a product that even Fernando’s mother calls “The Best Curry Powder I’ve ever tasted.” Fernando soon followed that with Skiz’s Original Raw Curry Powder, made with unroasted spices, which is used for vegetarian curries. Both products continue to be made by hand in small batches and are gluten-free, salt-free, and vegan. All of the spices used have applications in the ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine, so in addition to being an amazing flavor enhancer, there are health benefits to be derived as well.
