Madras curry powder is a fiery blend of ground spices, including cayenne chilli pepper and roasted coriander seed, combined with mustard seeds and coriander leaf.
Madras curry is said to originate from the south of India and gets its name from the city known as Madras when English merchants arrived there in 1640. However, the name 'Madras Curry' is not used in India, but was invented by restaurants in Britain.