We commonly call curry spice mix yellowish color that can already be found in any supermarket, although it is not entirely correct. Although it is already accepted internationally, in India a curry is a type of dishwhile the specific set of spices is called masala. And there are infinite varieties of both.
Things get complicated when we go beyond the Indian borders to mention other Asian curries, such as the Thai ones, very similar in form, or the Japanese one, more recently created and the result of the typical interculturality that has been produced in the Japanese country by assimilating and adapting external influences.
Although, without a doubt, the international curry variants The most well-known have emerged in the United Kingdom, from where dishes such as tikka masala. We also owe the expansion of curry as a specific spice mixture concept to migratory movements and British colonization, finding it today as part of the most iconic gastronomy of countries around the world, such as the German currywurst or the Swiss riz casimir.
But leaving aside this more Westernized fusion cuisine, preparing a traditional style indian curry it’s simple. With slight variations in the steps, the technique and essential components are the same; It is in the ingredients and accompaniments where we will find the greatest differences depending on the region of the country.
What really is a curry?
The chef, popularizer and author of Indian cookbooks, Raghavan Iyer, defines curry as “any dish that consists of meat, fish, poultry, legumes, vegetables or fruits, simmered or covered with a sauce or other liquid with a fragrant aroma of spices and/or herbs.” And he points out that the curry is not added, the curry is.
In short, a curry is a spicy dish where the ingredients have been cooked in a generous amount of sauce rather thick, like a stew with a lot of sauce. There are vegetarian and vegan ones and also more or less spicy, some sweeter, and in general they are designed to abundantly dip some flatbread or baste basmati rice.
The basic components of a curry
Like our own stews and stews, a basic curry is made up of three elements:
- Vegetable stir fry. It almost always starts with onion, garlic and ginger, to which tomatoes, sweet peppers or chilies, carrots, etc. are usually added.
- Broth or water and thickeners. A meat, chicken, fish or vegetable broth, depending on the recipe, enriched with yogurt, cream, crushed nuts, butter, ghee or coconut milk, among others. Rarely any starch, not wheat (rice).
- Protein, vegetables or fruits. Meat, fish, chicken, legumes, seafood, cheese, vegetables, etc. It is the main component that usually defines the curry in question.
The spice mix
The spices and aromatics of a curry can be fresh raw, dried or in paste form. Several types can also be combined in the same recipe, adding them at different times in the process.
You can start with a mixture of dry spices already made at home to taste or purchased, and the same goes for curry paste. Ready-to-use versions are already sold in jars and are a common pantry ingredient, known as green or red curry paste, which may or may not be spicy; They are very popular in Thai cuisine.
Pastes have the advantage that they are fresher and are integrated into the sauce, and can be used to marinate or marinade, also providing color and helping to thicken. They can be done with a mortar or with a grinder electric, then mixing with oil, ghee or clarified butter, coconut oil, broth, yogurt, etc.
Other components
In addition to the basic ingredients mentioned, a curry can incorporate fresh herbs such as cilantro or mint, which are usually added right at the end, seeds whole more or less aromatic, such as mustard or sesame, vinegars or touches of fruit such as tamarind, lime, green banana, mango (keri nu shaak), etc.
There are also some curries that are not usually called as such, the types saagof deep green color due to the base of spinach or other green leaves, while a dal either dahl Its main and thickening element is skinless legumessuch as red or coral lentils.
Likewise, when serving, you can add a tadka or tarka, a chutney, more yogurt or thick cream, seeds or nuts as a dressing.
How to make a basic curry step by step
Whether you follow a recipe or are going to improvise a little on the fly, the ideal is to prepare the mise en place before starting to cook, as there are steps that require speed of movement to avoid burning the ingredients.
This is, peel, cut and chop the ingredients according to their use; prepare the spice mixture or, if applicable, pasta; have the broth to be used ready – we can manage with water; the protein ready and chopped when necessary, etc.
- Infuse the fat. Whether it is vegetable oil, butter or ghee, it is advisable to heat it first at low temperature with some whole spices such as green/black cardamom pods, coriander seeds, caraway seeds, cumin, bay leaves, curry leaves, cinnamon sticks, mace , mustard seeds, cloves, etc.
- Start the stir fry. A basic stir-fry consists of chopped onion, garlic and ginger, which are usually grated together to form a paste with a little oil or nothing else. You can also add them grated or chopped, better if the onion has already been cooked a little.
- Flavor the sauce. If we use powdered spices, we would add them now, with the first ingredients already poached, over low heat and stirring well so that they do not burn, just a few seconds.
- Finish the stir-fry. Although it depends on the recipe, if you use tomato you can add it now, whether natural or chopped canned; It is recommended at least double the volume of onion. Another option is to add concentrated tomato paste, which can be added later to avoid burning. Other possible vegetables or fresh chilies would also be added now.
- Cook the sauce. At this time, whole hard spices such as peppercorns, pods, leaves or cinnamon sticks should be removed. If you have chosen to flavor with spice paste, it would be added now. Let the tomato reduce and add a thickener, such as yogurt or cream, broth or water. Once reduced a little, it is crushed, normally leaving a certain texture so that it is not completely creamy, with some exceptions.
- Add the protein. We have several options; We can first brown products such as chicken, meat or fish separately, placing them in a frying pan or casserole to generate the Maillard reaction, then adding them to the sauce; Another option is to cook, adding the sauce to the protein, as part of it is cooked, thus adjusting the texture by playing with the broth or water; and finally we can simply add it to the sauce pot, so that it cooks directly in it.
- Reduce and adjust. Finally, all that remains is to cook the whole thing for a few more minutes until it is at the desired doneness, testing the level of salt and spices.
- Serve and garnish. When serving the curry we cannot forget the classic dressings and accompaniments: more yogurt or cream, fresh coriander, nuts, seeds, tadka, etc.
What to accompany curry with
A curry is rarely eaten alone. You should always serve a very generous portion in sauce, which can be accompanied with a Garrison of basmati rice or some similar loose long grain rice, or also with flat breads like the fluffiest naan bread, crispy papadum, paratha or chapati.
Fresh sauces such as a raita are also a common accompaniment, especially when the curry is spicy, and chutneyswhich in turn can provide a spicy touch or be sweeter.
Curry Recipes from India and Beyond
Made in India. The Best Home Cooking in India (NeoPerson Cook)
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