Our resident chef delves into the history of the Indian-inspired dish
What is a curry?
It seems like a simple enough question, but the concept has been muddied by well-meaning, but mistaken culinarians who wield the word like a linguistic Swiss army knife—it seems like a useful, multi-purpose Indian food descriptor, but it’s never really quite right for the job.
For most Americans, especially in the South, there’s an almost inseparable connection between Indian food and curry. But we never stop to ask, what exactly is an Indian curry? Are all of those distinctly different, saucy and spicy Indian foods curries?
The word “curry” is simply an anglicized version of the Tamil word kari which means “sauce.” Curry doesn’t describe one particular dish any more than the word “sauce” describes one particular dish—it’s just a term used in lieu of sauce or gravy.
Some Indians will use the word “curry” to describe a saucy, spiced (not necessarily spicy) stew when speaking in English. When speaking in their native language, however, these dishes have specific names that do not include the word “curry.”
So, when a menu says “chicken curry” in English, it could be referring to murgh kari, koldil aru manxo, murgh makhana, rezala, or any number of dishes, each with their own unique set of spices and ingredients; each with their own very different flavors; but each subsumed under the English moniker of “chicken curry.”
A walk down the spice aisle might lead you to believe that curry is a spice or a standardized combination of spices. In spite of what the corporate shills at Big Spice would have you to believe, there is no single spice or standard spice formula known as “curry,” but rather a wide variety of spice blends that were created as an easy way for the British Raj to get the flavors they fell in love with while stationed in India.
The popularity of these Indian spice blends can largely be credited to the British, who became enamored with the spices and flavors of India and wanted to synthesize them into a single, manageable way to bring flavor to their bland, boiled meats.
Most Indian home cooks have their own secret, special spice blends that are essential to their cooking. These blends can vary dramatically from region to region and from cook to cook, but cumin, coriander seed, turmeric and cayenne pepper are typically somewhere in the mix.
The manufacturers of commercial curry blends have a thing for turmeric and fenugreek. I suppose people associate turmeric’s yellow color and the mildly maple-ish scent of fenugreek with the anglicized concept of curry—but as you probably guessed, neither of these are present in all curries.
Most commercial curry blends resemble a spice mix used in north India called garam masala (garam means “hot” and masala means “spice”) but the word garam alone is used to refer to either a single spice or a mixture of spices like garam masala or paanch phoron (cumin, brown mustard, fenugreek, nigella and fennel).
Making garam masala at home is easy, but you’ll want to experiment with different ratios of spices to get a mix that’s balanced to your liking. Simply toast whole spices like cardamom, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, chilies, cinnamon and nutmeg, then grind them into a powder with a mortar and pestle. This mixture will keep for up to a month in an airtight container, but use it while it’s fresh for the best flavor punch.
So, what is an Indian curry? At its most basic, it’s a dish that probably originated in the Indian subcontinent, is usually prepared in a sauce, and typically uses a complex combination of spices. But the key to what makes a curry a curry is the multifaceted interplay of spices.
This interplay of aromatic spices is at the root of India’s multifaceted and flavorful cuisine, and a well-made curry is the perfect symbol of the vast array of possible combinations and interactions of spices that have made and destroyed empires.
Bengali Curry Powder
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 dried red chilies
- 15 curry leaves
- 1 tsp turmeric
Directions
1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, dry roast all the spices except the turmeric on medium heat for about two minutes.
2. Mix in the turmeric and grind in a mortal & pestle or a spice mill.
3. Store in an airtight jar in a cool dry place.
Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan currently living abroad who has trained chefs, owned and operated restaurants. Join him on Facebook at facebook.com/SushiAndBiscuits