When we think of curry, we often think of Indian, Thai, Malaysian or Japanese curries.
According to British food and travel writer as well as a food historian, Simon Majumdar, the origins of curry began before the British arrived in the subcontinent of India in 1608.
The Portuguese arrived in India in 1498 and probably had the greatest influence on the foods of India. If you visit the city of Goa and have eaten the vindaloo there, you will see the heavy influence of the Portuguese. The original vindaloo contained over 20 peppers combined with pork, and black pepper was mixed with tamarind water. The Portuguese used red chilies instead of black pepper, since it was considered “black gold.” This made the dish more affordable. It is believed that the word “curry” came from the South Indian state of Tamil and means “to blacken with spices.”
Queen Elizabeth established the British East India Company to counter the expansion of Portuguese and Dutch companies. At the height of this period , there were about 250,000 members of the British army in India. After the 1857 Great Indian Mutiny, British bureaucrats who came to India and were known as “nabobs.” Their love for Indian food, access to spices and adaptations of local dishes altered to fit their palates gave birth to the modern-style curry dishes that we know today. I have always been told that some of the best Indian food outside of India is in England.
So according to Secret Food Tours, the best curries to try are:
1. Goan curry, a flavor-rich curry made with chicken or shrimp and served with rice and naan bread.
2. Dhansak curry, a type of lentil curry with spices and herbs. “Dhansak” comes from the words “Dhan” (which means flour) and “saak” (which means sauce or stew). Dhansak is made with chicken, lamb, and vegetables and is served with rice. It originated in the state of Maharashtra, India.
3. Rajima masala, which is made from red kidney beans and spices and is perfect for a simple, delicious meal.
4. Bhuna gosht, containing red chili, turmeric, ginger root and green chili peppers toasted or roasted. It is from Uttar Pradesh and means “spicy chicken curry” in Hindi. Bhuna gosht is often served with rice and chapatis.
5. Kerala curry, which includes chicken, mutton and vegetable curry.
6. Massaman curry, a milder curry that packs a punch in terms of flavor.
7. Thai red curry, packed with the flavor with spices.
8. Thai green curry, made from green curry paste, coconut milk and chicken. Remember that the green curry is the hottest of the three Thai curries, with the red and then yellow curry being the mildest.
9. Palak paneer, one of my favorite Indian dishes with spinach and paneer cheese.
10. Goan goat curry, which has a unique flavor and is a must try. The goat meat is soft and juicy.
11. Kerala fish curry, a popular dish of that region. I remember going to Kerala and seeing the Chinese fishing nets that were suspended in the air.
12. Dal makhani, a popular lentil curry and relatively easy to make.
13. Biryani rice, which is also one of my favorites. It is a mild curry
To make your curry powder, you will need to grind these ingredients together:
Homemade Curry Powder (Malaysian and Singapore)
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoon whole black pepper
2 tablespoons crushed chili flakes
3 wholes cloves
3 inches cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2-3 whole cardamom pods
5-6 dried Chinese chilies
3 tablespoon ground turmeric
Toast all the the spices except the turmeric in a dry pan over low heat, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Let cool completely, then grind into a powder. Stir in turmeric.
With this powder you can make a chicken curry in the style of Malaysia/Singapore.
Coconut Chicken Curry
Serves 4
In a mortar and pestle, crush until it resembles a paste:
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoon ginger
1 Thai bird’s eye chili, sliced (optional)
Stir in:
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Coat with paste and marinate for 30 minutes:
8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
In a large Dutch oven, heat up another 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry the chicken, skin side down until golden. Flip the chicken and add:
3-4 potatoes, small, peeled and quartered
Stir in:
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods
5 lime leaves (optional)
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for one hour, or until the chicken is soft and tender. Season with:
1 tablespoon fish sauce (This is how Thais and Malaysians season their food with salt. If you do not have fish sauce, you can add salt.)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Foodie notes
I have a reader who has raw macadamia nuts who wants to know the best way to salt and roast them. If you have that foolproof recipe, please send it to me and I will get it to Dora. Thank you in advance for the recipe.