The British did much to influence the spread of curry following their rule in India. Old soldiers, merchants or government people returning home would long for the taste of Indian food and thus curry powder came into being as an easy way to recapture the memories of bygone sumptuous meals. The people of India really don't use curry powder, they create spice blends from a variety of ingredients that vary according to the meal, the meat or vegetables used, and possibly even the mood. The combination of the best spices and the right quantities is a fine art. The nearest equivalent to curry powder is Garam Masala which is used as a sprinkled topping to add extra flavour.

Curry has always been a favourite in our family. My father spent two years in India back in the fifties and I can remember coming home from school one day at the age of six to find that the postman had delivered a coconut from my dad. No ordinary coconut, this: it had the large outer shell or husk on it which had been painted white and decorated with pictures of palm trees and elephants as well as my name and address. I'm sure the modern post office would have refused to accept it! This along with the countless Viewmaster slides of India that Dad brought back impressed me greatly with the culture and glamour of this distant land.

On his return from India, Dad often had curry evenings for their friends, and I would sometimes be invited downstairs (having already gone to bed for the night) to join them. The recipes he used then were fairly basic and relied on Sharwood's curry powder, but they were still delicious and exotic to me. If they had 'company' there would be brightly rainbow coloured 'Sobranie' cocktail cigarettes and wonderful side dishes to go with the main meal. I am sure this is what instilled the concept in me that curry is something special and party-like.

Now we jump forward to the seventies and an excellent American magazine that we used to love, called 'Apartment Life' which featured an article about curry, along with a few recipes. These were very different to the curries my dad would make in that they didn't use curry powder and used whole fresh spices, many of which were completely alien to us! It was a very exciting pictorial article that prompted us to buy the ingredients and try doing a curry for my parents on their next visit. The final meal and the acclaim from my father were exceptional. He painstakingly copied the recipes down and went on to treat us with curries on our visits to their house. It wasn't long before we had friends cooking the recipes and even dared to entertain our Indian family doctor and his wife with our version of curry with great success.

Over the years the recipes have evolved; given experience, experimentation and preferences in taste, so that it is interesting to look back to that old magazine article (which I still have), and see the differences.

Our children grew to like curry; at first we would cook them a separate meal, and wouldn't attempt to make them eat the curried dishes. This strategy worked - before long they would ask for a taste, or a little bit on the side of their plate; just out of curiosity aroused from the fabulous aromas and the fact that Mom and Dad were having something different to them. Soon there was no need to cook a special meal for them - they wanted curry!

 

The raw spices for curry making are readily available in most towns nowadays and you should buy whole spices (not ground) as they will keep their flavour and add a freshness to the finished meal. You can grind them with a mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder (keep it only for this purpose).

There are recipes that use a blender to combine the whole spices with a liquid to make a wet masala. Sometimes a recipe will call for the spices to be lightly roasted before use to intensify the flavour. The techniques are actually very simple and the results are always great - just don't overdo the hot peppers when you are starting out!

Many of the ingredients in curry are supposed to be of great medicinal value - I can't vouch for this, but in our house we always swear that a good curry is the best tonic when recovering from a severe cold or even the flu.

It really is fun to learn this unique cuisine!

 

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A primer on curry ingredients:

	Green Cardomom: The tiny seeds contained in these pods have a powerful aromatic flavour. They are used in baking as well as in curries.
	Cinnamon: Actually a bark, cinnamon is an important spice used in many foods, both sweet and savoury. In the west, we rarely use cinnamon in savoury dishes, but it is indispensible in curry.
	Cloves: Originally a very expensive spice, cloves are used in the cuisine of many countries, and add a distinct taste to some curries.
	Coriander, or cilantro: Not to be confused with parsley, coriander leaves have a unique aroma and are essential in Indian cooking, both for garnish and flavouring.
	Coriander Seeds: The seeds of the coriander plant have a warm nutty, citrusy flavour.
	Cumin: Cumin is used in cooking the world over and is prized for its strong musky flavour and aroma.
	Garlic: Of course, garlic needs no introduction to the home cook. Do not attempt to substitute garlic powder, garlic salt or frozen garlic as it doesn't have enough flavour or freshness.
	Ginger Root: Long regarded as being medicinally beneficial, fresh ginger root is essential in curry making. Do not substitute dried ginger powder, as the taste is completely different.
	Green Peppers (hot): Not to be confused with their benign cousin the bell pepper, these really pack a punch - the seeds are the hottest part.
	Red Peppers (dried): The heat source in most curry recipes, as well as hot green peppers. Use with caution!
	Saffron: Saffron is the world's most expensive spice. It consists of the dried stamens of the crocus flower and is used both for colouring and its mild flavour.
	Turmeric: Turmeric is a grated root that gives curry its distinctive ochre colouring - it also has a rich musky flavour.

Recipes

This is just a brief overview of some of the curry recipes featured on this site, be sure to check the Curry Index for a full listing, pictures and details of all my curry recipes.   Meat Courses: Lamb Korma: a beautiful curry, enhanced with cashews and a rich stock. Curried Chicken: this is the most popular curry around our house. It is easy to make and has a wonderful flavour. Chicken Biryani: a meal fit for an emperor, chicken and rice are baked together in a sealed casserole and despite the amount of spice used, it seems to always be very mild to the palate.   Vegetables: Curried Potatoes and Peas: (Alu Mattar) - we love this one so much that we sometimes have it with other meals that aren't curries.   Raitas: These are yogurt salads, made using plain yogurt combined with green onion, cucumber, tomato, etc., that are used to ease the spiciness of the curry. Green Onion and Coriander Raita Tomato - Cucumber Raita   Breads: Indian breads are a wonderful accompaniment to curries and any spicy meal, even chili. Most are unleavened, but naan is made using yeast and actually makes an amazing pizza crust! Roti Flatbread Naan Flatbread   Rice: Basic steamed rice is an essential with curries and many other dishes. The method is the same whether you are cooking long grain white or brown rice or Basmati rice. Steamed Rice   In addition, you can make chutneys to go with your meal for an added touch.   So go ahead, try making curry - it's great for a special occasion and as something new to impress your friends. Most dishes benefit from a long simmering time, or even being made the day before, so you can keep your preparation time to a minimum when your guests have arrived.   For the full selection of my curry recipes, click here.

 

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