Legendary curries always seem to start with a dozen different spices, roasted for the aroma and ground fresh for an exotic, worldly flavor. In Sri Lanka, roasted spices flavor beef with pickled limes, tomatoes and coconut milk. In Kashmir, it takes eight spices (cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, chili powder, saffron and ginger) for a curry of lamb with almonds, raisins and rose petals.

The Co-op sells three Indian spice combinations: garam masala, regular curry powder, and hot, or muchi, curry powder. The simplest of these flavorings is garam masala, which is sometimes referred to as basic curry powder, or curry powder without turmeric.

The Co-op's garam masala is made of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper and coriander. Because it doesn't have turmeric, garam masala does not give the golden hue to food often associated with curries. The curry made with this garam masala will have an earthier color and flavor and only mild heat, since it doesn't contain red pepper.

Garam masala is actually a modern version of a very old curry powder since red peppers, or chili peppers, are not native to India, where some food historians date the consumption of curry as far back as 1500 BC. Chili peppers weren't added to the curry mix until Christopher Columbus brought chili seeds back from the New World. Portuguese traders carried them to India and it only took a century for the hot peppers to make their way into Indian cooking. Today, they are an important part of Indian cooking and are grown around the world, putting the fire in curries everywhere.

Garam masala does not require as much cooking as curry powders that contain turmeric, which gives a bright yellow or orange color to curries, as well as a bitter, warm flavor. Turmeric needs cooking to keep it from being acrid as well.

Garam masala is the most expensive of the three Indian spice blends at the Co-op, at $16 a pound, compared with $7.91 for curry powder and $9.75 for muchi curry powder. Garam masala's higher price is likely due to its higher percentage of cardamom, which is expensive.

Even at $16 a pound, the Co-op's curry powders are a bargain. Two dollars will buy more than two tablespoons of each of the three powders—enough curry to spice several different dishes for a party of 12, or dinner for two for a week. Curry powders of comparable quality at other local grocery stores start at $5 a jar.

The robust flavor of the Co-op's curry powder comes from its long list of ingredients: turmeric, paprika, fenugreek, coriander, black pepper, cumin, celery seed, cloves, caraway and cayenne pepper. It is a fairly typical curry powder, except for the paprika, which gives the mixture a redder color and somewhat sweeter flavor.

The hot curry, or muchi curry, powder contains three peppers: cayenne, black, and white pepper. The peppers, combined with the 10 other spices, can create a classic curry, which Santha Rama Rau, author of the entertaining and authentic Time Life Book, "The Cooking of India," defined as "a highly seasoned stew with plenty of sauce." By following a few guidelines, a novice cook using any of the Co-op curry powders can create his or her own version of this wonderful dish, even without a recipe:

Start by sautéing a sliced or chopped onion in a tablespoon or two butter or oil with a tablespoon or two of curry powder. Optional flavorings at this step are grated ginger and minced garlic. For a vegetable curry with vegetables that require more than a minute or two cooking time, add the prepared vegetables now. Options include chopped potatoes, cauliflower, corn, carrots, and green beans.

If you are using meat, brown it with the curry powder, or add chopped leftover meat now.

Cook the onion-curry powder mixture about 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat until the onions are soft and the vegetables are nearly cooked.

Stir in a cup of liquid such as vegetable or chicken broth, canned tomatoes with their liquid, white wine, or coconut milk. Add vegetables and fruits that cook quickly, like green peas, sweet peppers and chopped apples. This is also the time to add starchy ingredients, including drained garbanzo beans or cooked lentils.

Taste and adjust the flavorings with any of the following: a couple teaspoons of lemon or lime juice, a small handful of raisins or currants, shredded coconut, salt, chopped cashews, peanuts, almonds, or chopped cilantro. If you want a sweeter curry, add a teaspoon or two of sugar or honey.

For a creamier sauce (or to cool down a hot-hot curry) stir in plain yogurt at the end of cooking. The perfect accompaniment for a spicy curry is an equal amount of rice, ideally basmati or jasmine rice. Leftovers keep well, developing better flavor after a day or two in the refrigerator.