Curry

For other uses, see the dish.

An Indian chicken curry

Curry is the English description of any of a general variety of spiced dishes, best-known in Indian, Bangladeshi, Thai, Malaysian and other South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, though curry has been adopted into all of the mainstream cuisines of the Asia-Pacific region. Along with tea, curry is one of the few dishes or drinks that is truly "Pan-Asian", but specifically, its roots come from India. The concept of curry was later brought to the West by British colonialists in India from the 18th century. Dishes that are often classified as curries in Europe and America are rarely called curries in the native language.

Curries around the world

The term curry is most likely an anglicized name for the Kari derived from the usage of "Kari" in the South Indian language Tamil to connotate any secondary dish eaten with rice. In addition, curry leaves, known by the Tamil word 'Karuvapillai' (literally meaning black leaf) which is an aberration of 'kari-veppilai' in Tamiil or 'kari-veppila' in Malayalam or the Kannada word 'Karibevu' is used in various kinds of dishes common in South India made with vegetables or meat and usually eaten with rice. The term curry (meaning a stew) was found in English before the arrival of British traders on the Subcontinent, and may simply have been applied by them to dishes which they thought resembled the stews they were used to. The term is now used more broadly, especially in the Western world, to refer to almost any spiced, sauce-based dishes cooked in various south and southeast Asian styles. In Kerala, though each curry has a specific name, generically any side dish is historically referred to as a 'curry'. Not all curries are made from curry powder; in India the word curry is heavily used in the southern part of India in languages like Tamil, while rarely used in the north. In the northern parts of India, most dishes involving lentils are called dal, or are referred to by a name specific to the spices used in the preparation. Meat or vegetable dishes are likewise given specific names that indicate the method of cooking, or the particular spices used. There is a particular north Indian and Pakistani dish which is given the name curry or khadi and utilizes yoghurt, ghee, and besan. Ironically, this particular dish is not well-known outside of Pakistan and India.. Bengali dishes called "Torkari" or vegetables stewed or dry in gravy is another potential source for the anglicized "curry" since the British occupation of India started in Bengal before Madras. Another theory is the root word for curry is "Karai" or Kadhai" denoting the wok used in Indian kitchens.

Indian cuisines

Main article: Indian cuisine

Tamil cuisine

Main article: Tamil cuisine

In Tamil cuisine, from which the word originated, curry refers to any dry preparation involving meat or vegetables shallow-fried with dry spices. Curries are named according to the main ingredient and adding the word curry (e.g. potato curry, bean curry, chicken curry, goat curry, etc.).

Tamil cuisine (from Tamil Nadu), one of the oldest culinary heritages of the world, is characterized by its aroma and flavor. The distinctive flavor is achieved by a blend and combination of spices, including curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, coconut, and rosewater. Lentils, vegetables and dairy products are essential accompaniments, and are often served with rice. Traditionally, vegetarian foods dominate the menu with a range of non-vegetarian dishes, including sweet water fish and seafood, cooked with traditional Tamil spices and seasoning.

Malayali cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Kerala

Malayali curries of Kerala typically contain shredded coconut paste or coconut milk, curry leaves, and various spices. Mustard seeds are used in almost every dish, along with onions, curry leaves, sliced red chillies fried in hot oil. Most of the non-vegetarian dishes are heavily spiced. Kerala is known for its traditional Sadhya, a vegetarian meal served with boiled rice and a host of side-dishes, such as Parippu (Green gram), Pappadum, some ghee, Sambar, Rasam, Aviyal, Kaalan, Kichadi, pachadi, Injipuli, Koottukari, pickles (mango, lime), Thoran, one to four types of Payasam, Boli, Olan, Pulissery, moru (buttermilk), Upperi, Banana chips, etc. The sadhya is customarily served on a banana leaf.

Punjabi cuisine

Main article: Punjabi cuisine

Punjabi cuisine (from the Punjab region) is mainly based upon Wheat, Masalas (spice), pure desi ghee, with liberal amounts of butter and cream. The area is well known for the quality of its milk products. There are certain dishes which are exclusive to Punjab, such as Maha Di Dal and Saron Da Saag (Sarson Ka Saag).

Bengali cuisine

Main article: Bengali cuisine

Bengal is famous in India for its distinctive food and a plethora of curries that are little known to the outside world. Authentic Bengali recipes are difficult to find outside of Bengali kitchens, although certain dishes are popular, for example, the jhalfrezis and the prawn malai curry. Seafood and fresh fish are a great favourite with Bengalis, and a dazzling array of curries have been devised to cook these meats. Mustard seeds are added to many recipes, so are poppy seeds - from the same plant that is the source of opium - , and these are flavours highly unique to the Bengali curries. Like other Indian curries, Bengali curries differ from the later 'corrupted' curry in depending on the addition of spices AND herbs, as well as fresh ginger and garlic during different stages of cooking to bring out the final flavour. This truly marks an authentic curry in contrast to curry pastes that cover only a small part of the flavour added.

Other Indian cuisines

Main article: Indian cuisine

In other varieties of Indian cuisine, curry is a gravy - made by stirring yoghurt into a roux of ghee (a type of clarified butter) and besan (chick pea flour). The spices added vary, but usually include turmeric and black mustard seed. It is often eaten on top of rice.

Other South Asian cuisines

Pakistani cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Pakistan

A favourite Pakistani curry is Karahi, either mutton or chicken cooked in a dry sauce. Lahori Karahi incorporates garlic, spices and vinegar. Peshawari karahi is a simple dish made with just meat, salt, tomatoes and coriander.

Bangladeshi cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Bangladesh

Further information: Bengali cuisine

Bangladeshi cuisine has considerable regional variations. A staple across the country however is rice and dhal. As a large percentage of the land in Bangladesh (over 80% on some occasions) can be under water, fish is a major source of protein in the Bangladeshi diet. The Bengali word tôrkari has been suggested as a possible origin for the English word "curry." The widely popular British curry dish chicken tikka masala was likely produced by Sylheti immigrants from Sylhet.

British cuisine

Further information: British cuisine and Anglo-Indian cuisine

Chicken tikka jalfrezi, pilau rice and a cucumber rhaita, as served at the Aladin restaurant, Brick Lane, London.

In British cuisine, the word curry was primarily used to denote a sauce-based dish flavoured with curry powder or a paste variant made from the powder and oils. However, the resurgence of interest in food preparation in the UK in recent years has led to much more use of fresh spices such as ginger and garlic, and preparation of an initial masala from freshly ground dried spices, though pastes and powders are still frequently used when convenience is paramount.

The first curry recipe in Britain appeared in The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse in 1747. The first edition of her book used only pepper and coriander seeds for seasoning of 'currey'. By the fourth edition of the book other relatively common ingredients of turmeric and ginger were used. The use of hot spices was not mentioned, which reflected the limited use of chili in India - chili plants had only been introduced into India around late 15th century and at that time was only popular in southern India. Many curry recipes are contained in 19th-century cookbooks such as those of Charles Elme Francatelli and Mrs Beeton. In Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, a recipe for curry powder is given that contains coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, mustard, ginger, allspice and fenugreek; although she notes that it is more economical to purchase the powder at 'any respectable shop'.

The popularity of curry in the general public was enhanced by the invention of 'Coronation chicken' to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. Curry sauce is a British use of curry as a condiment, usually served warm with traditional British fast food dishes such as chips. Curry sauce occasionally would include sultanas.

The popularity of curry in the UK encouraged the growth of Indian restaurants. Until the early 1970s more than three quarters of Indian restaurants in Britain were identified as being owned and run by people of Bengali origin. Most were run by migrants from East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh in 1971. Bangladeshi restaurateurs overwhelmingly come from the northern city of Sylhet. Until 1998, as many as 85% of curry restaurants in the UK were Bangladeshi restaurants but in 2003 this figure declined to just over 65%. Currently the dominance of Bangladeshi restaurants is generally declining in some parts of London and the further north one travels. In Glasgow there are more restaurants of Punjabi origin than any other.

Whatever the ethnic origin of a restaurant's ownership, the menu will nearly always be influenced by the wider Indian subcontinent (sometimes including Nepalese dishes), and sometimes cuisines from further afield (such as Persian dishes). Some British variations on Indian food are now being exported from the UK to India. British-style curry restaurants are also popular in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In a relatively short space of time curry has become an integral part of British cuisine, so much so that, since the late 1990s, Chicken Tikka Masala has been commonly referred to as the "British national dish". It is now available (albeit in frozen, microwavable form) on Intercity rail trains, as a flavour for crisps, and even as a pizza topping.

The British Curry House

There are Michelin-starred establishments serving authentic Indian food in Britain. There have been Indian restaurants in Britain for many years.

Many British people regard "going for a curry" as a satisfying outing. Restaurants that are regarded as curry houses are open to the same standards requirements as all restaurants and can be vetted by and reported to the local Health and safety department of an area. There are now many up-market "Indian Restaurants", which, while they still tend to eschew the more authentic cuisines, nonetheless apply the same high standards of food preparation.

This cuisine is characterised by the use of a common base for all the sauces to which spices are added when individual dishes are prepared. The standard "feedstock" is usually a sautéed mixture of onion, garlic and fresh ginger, to which various spices are added, depending on the recipe, but which may include: cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, chillies, peppercorns, cumin and mustard seeds. Ground coriander seed is widely used as a thickening agent, and turmeric is added for colour.

Better-quality restaurants will normally make up new sauces on a daily basis, using fresh ingredients wherever possible and grinding their own spices. More modest establishments are more likely to resort to frozen or dried ingredients and pre-packaged spice mixtures.

Although the names may be similar to traditional dishes, the recipes generally are not.

• Korma/Kurma - mild, yellow in colour, with almond and coconut powder
• Curry - medium, gravy-like sauce
• Dupiaza/Dopiaza - medium curry the word means "double onion" referring to the boiled and fried onions used as its primary ingredient.
• Pasanda - a mild curry sauce made with cream, coconut milk, and almonds.
• Rogan Josh (from "Roghan" (oil) and "Gosht" (meat)) - medium, with tomatoes
• Bhuna - medium, thick sauce, some vegetables
• Dhansak - medium/hot, sweet and sour sauce with lentils (originally a Parsi dish). In the North of England this dish often also contains pineapple.
• Madras - fairly hot curry, red in colour and with heavy use of chilli powder
• Pathia - generally similar to a Madras + lemon juice and tomato purée
• Jalfrezi - onion, green chilli and a thick sauce
• Vindaloo - this is generally regarded as the classic "hot" restaurant curry, (although a true Vindaloo does not specify any particular level of spiciness).
• Phaal - extremely hot. Some UK curry houses also make a hotter version called tindaloo.

These sauces are typically served with "lamb" (usually mutton), prawns or chicken; vegetable versions are somewhat cheaper, chicken tikka or king prawn versions more expensive. In more up-market establishments, a variety of meat options is offered, that is you can order lamb, chicken, beef (or even vegetarian) "vindaloo" for example. The meat is generally cooked separately in a casserole-type dish until it is very tender, and added to the sauce just before serving. Some establishments keep large containers of refrigerated sauces and frozen meats, which are heated in a microwave oven as required. A garnish of freshly fried onion is sometimes added to give the illusion of recent preparation.

The tandoor was introduced into Britain in the 1960s and tandoori and tikka chicken became popular dishes; Chicken Tikka Masala was said to have been invented in Glasgow when a customer demanded a sauce with a 'too dry' tikka (legend has it that the cook then heated up a tin of Campbell's condensed tomato soup and added some spices) although it is also seen as a variant on the traditional Punjabi dish of butter chicken.

Other dishes may be featured with varying strengths, with those of north Indian origin, such as Butter Chicken, tending to be mild, and recipes from the south of India tending to be hotter.

Balti curries

Main article: Balti (food)

A style of curry thought to have been developed in Birmingham, England which has spread to other western countries.

South East Asian cuisines

Thai cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Thailand

In Thai cuisine, curries are meat, fish or vegetable dishes in a spiced sauce. They use local ingredients such as chilli peppers, Kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, Galangal and coconut milk, and tend to be more aromatic than Indian curries as a result. Curries are often described by colour; red curries use red chillis while green curries use green chillis. Yellow curries are more similar to Indian curries, with their use of turmeric and cumin. Yellow currys normally contain potatoes. Yellow curry is also called gaeng curry (by various spellings), of which a word-for-word translation would be "curry curry". This is because it is the one category of Thai curry that really is curry, and is adapted from Indian cuisine.

Malaysian cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Malaysia

Malaysian curries typically use coconut milk and a paste of turmeric, shallots, ginger, belacan (shrimp paste), chilis, and garlic. Tamarind is also often used. Rendang is another form of curry consumed in Malaysia, although it is drier than a conventional Malaysian curry. All sorts of things are curried in Malaysia, including goat, chicken, shrimp, cuttlefish, fish, fish head, aubergine, eggs, and mixed vegetables.

East Asian cuisines

Chinese cuisine

Main article: Chinese Cuisine

Chinese curries (咖哩, gā lǐ) typically consist of green peppers, chicken, beef, fish, lamb, or other meats, onions, large chunks of potatoes, and a variety of other ingredients and spices in a mildly spicy yellow curry sauce, and topped over steamed rice. White pepper, soy sauce, hot sauce, and/or hot chili oil may be applied to the sauce to enhance the flavour of the curry. Chinese curry is popular in North America, and there are many different varieties of Chinese curry, depending on each restaurant. Unlike other Asian curries, which usually have a thicker consistency, Chinese curry is often watery in nature.

Japanese cuisine

Main article: Japanese curry

Japanese curry (カレー, karē in Japanese) is one of the most popular dishes in Japan, where many people eat it two or three times a week according to some surveys. It is usually thicker, sweeter, and not as hot as its Indian equivalent. It is usually eaten as karē raisu - curry, rice and often pickles, served on the same plate and eaten with a spoon, a common lunchtime canteen dish.

Curry was introduced to Japan by the British in the Meiji era (1869 - 1913) after Japan ended its policy of national self-isolation (Sakoku), and curry in Japan is categorised as a Western dish. Its spread across the country is commonly attributed to its use in the Japanese Army and Navy which adopted it extensively as convenient field and naval canteen cooking, allowing even conscripts from the remotest countryside to experience the dish. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force still traditionally have curry every Friday for lunch.

The standard Japanese curry contains onions, carrots, potatoes and a meat. Sometimes grated apples or honey are added for additional sweetness, and other vegetables are sometimes used instead. For the meat, beef, pork and chicken are the most popular, in order of decreasing popularity. In the north and eastern Japan including Tokyo, pork is the most popular meat for curry; beef is more common in western Japan including Osaka, and in Okinawa, chicken. ([1] in Japanese)

Sometimes the curry-rice is topped with breaded pork cutlet (tonkatsu); this is called Katsu-karē (カツカレー). Korokke (コロッケ) are also a common topping.

Apart from with rice, karē udon (thick noodles in curry flavoured soup) and karē-pan ("curry bread" - deep fried battered bread with curry in the middle) are also popular.

Elsewhere

Other countries have their own varieties of curry, well known examples include:

• Sri Lanka: Rice and curry meals
• Indonesia: Rendangs, meat or chicken curries with thick brown coconut sauce.
• South Africa: Cape malay curries
• Caribbean: Curried goat
• Philippines: Kare-kare
• Ethiopia: Wat, a thick, heavily spiced stew.

Cambodia, Hawaii, the United States, Myanmar, mainland China, South Korea and Singapore also have their own versions of curry.

Curry powder is used as an incidental ingredient in other cuisines, including for example a "curry sauce" (sauce au curry, sometimes even au cari) variation of the classic French béchamel.

In Iranian cuisine, a ground spice mixture called advieh is used in many stews and rice dishes. It is similar to some curries. Ingredients in the mix vary, but may include cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, allspice, dried rose petals, and ground ginger. It is usually mellow and mild, not spicy hot.

In Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana curry is a very popular dish among the Caribbean communities. The indentured servants that were brought over from India by the British, brought this dish, as well as their culture, to the West Indies.

Curry addiction & health benefits

A number of studies have claimed that the reaction of pain receptors to the hotter ingredients in curries, even a Korma, leads to the body's release of endorphins and combined with the complex sensory reaction to the variety of spices and flavours, a natural high is achieved that causes subsequent cravings, often followed by a desire to move on to hotter curries. Some refer to this as addiction, but other researchers contest the use of the word "addiction" in this instance.[2] Additionally, curry addiction is an example of a colloquial use of the word "addiction" as the medical definition of the word requires continued use despite harmful effects.

An unrelated study has suggested that curry has a positive effect on the aging brain [3], perhaps explaining why Alzheimer's rates are much lower in countries like India.

See also [4] for information on Alzheimer's and Arthritis. (2007-01-07)

"Curry Thursday" is a term associated with curry addiction, where individuals have to indulge in curry consumption every week, sometimes on certain set days.

Ingredients

Thickeners

• Besan (chickpea/garbanzo flour)
• onions/shallots
• cream / half & half
• coconut milk
• yogurt
• nuts
• apples

Spices

• allspice
• anise seed
• asafoetida (Hing)
• black cumin (Kala jeera)
• black pepper (Mizhaku)
• cardamom (Elaichi)
• chili peppers (dried red) (Vath-thal mizhakaai)
• cinnamon
• cloves (Kirambu)
• coriander (Dhaniya or Kothumalli)
• cumin seeds (Jeera or Seeragam)
• fennel
• fenugreek seeds (Methi or Venthayam)
• garam masala
• mace
• mustard seeds (Kadugu)
• nigella (kalonji)
• nutmeg
• poppy seeds
• saffron (Karu manjal)
• turmeric (Puliyam Pazham)

Sour ingredients

• vinegar
• yogurt
• tamarind (imbli)
• lime (nimbu)
• amchoor (dried mango powder, also spelled 'amchur'.)

Fresh herbs and spices

• garlic
• ginger
• coriander (cilantro) leaves
• curry leaves
• bay leaves
• kaffir lime leaves
• chillies
• onion

• ghee (clarified butter)

Curry powder

Curry powder, also known as masala powder, is a spice mixture of widely varying composition developed by the British during the Raj as a means of approximating the taste of Indian cuisine at home. Masala refers to spices, and this is the name given to the thick pasty liquid sauce of combined spices and ghee (clarified butter), butter, palm oil or coconut milk.

Curry leaves

Curry leaves are the young leaves of the curry tree (Chalcas koenigii), a member of the Rutaceae family that grows wild and in gardens all over India. Fresh curry leaves are oval in shape and best used at about 1 inch in length. They have a pungent and bitter smell much like the leaves of a citrus tree. Leaves are typically fried until browned, then cooked with the dish. Before serving, the leaves are removed. Leaves are most powerful when fresh, but can be dried and used to less effect.

Drinks with Curry

Lassi is a yogurt based drink with curry.

Tea Hot or iced tea is often drunk with curry.

Lager is very popular with curry, particularly in the United Kingdom

Wine is increasingly popular with curry especially amongst those that seek something refreshing and alcoholic without the excess injected gas of a lager. Wine for Spice produced a range of refreshing wines developing on the cold lager with a curry concept. The Charmat method naturally second-fermented semi-sparkling wine is recommended lager cold but unlike a lager the gas is natural. Lager has Carbon Dioxide injected into it producing larger pubbles than through second fermentation.

Wine for Spice's formula for Matching Wine with Curry is: naturally second-fermented semi-sparkling wine; lager cold; good acidity; no tannin; no oak chips; moderate alcohol; sweetness of wine rising with chilli heat

See also

• Rice and curry

References & Further Reading

• K.T. Achaya. A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food (Delhi: Oxford University Press) 1998
• Indian Food: A Historical Companion. (Delhi: Oxford University Press) 1994
• David Burton. The Raj at Table (London: Faber & Faber) 1993
• E.M. Collingham. Curry: A biography (London: Chatto & Windus) 2005
• Madhur Jaffrey. An Invitation to Indian Cooking (London: Penguin) 1975

External links