What is the name of the spice blend commonly used in Indian curries in the West?

The spice blend commonly used for Indian-style curries in the West is called curry powder. It is a prepared mixture rather than a single spice or one standardized Indian recipe.

Commercial curry powder often contains turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and chili, although the proportions vary widely. Turmeric commonly gives Western curry powder its familiar yellow color. Milder blends may emphasize coriander and cumin, while hotter versions contain more chili or black pepper.

Curry powder became especially popular through British adaptations of South Asian cooking. It offered home cooks a convenient way to approximate complex spice combinations without measuring and grinding many separate ingredients. That convenience also created a common mix-up: many Indian cooks more often use fresh spice combinations, individual ground spices, or specific masalas for particular dishes. Garam masala is not the same thing; it is a distinct blend whose ingredients and uses vary by region and recipe.