Knock, knock!

Who's there?

Curry!

Curry who?

Curry me back home will you!

We all love ourselves a little curry humour. If there is one thing that can unify all 28 states and 8 union territories of India, it is our love for curry. We are not talking about the spice ‘curry’ which apparently is commonly perceived as Indian curry on foreign lands. We are here to talk about the authenticity of this word. The name curry may suggest the main course dish which is often water, oil or milk-based, but the possible combinations of Indian masalas and these bases have created a plethora of delicacies!

 

Let us see what we have on our hands today!

Achari

Achari stems from the word ‘achar’, which as we know, is a pickle. So, achari curries are made with pickling spices. This is a traditional curry in the Punjab region of India, sort of North-Westerly, lying on the border of Pakistan. The spices most commonly used in the curry are turmeric, fenugreek, black onion seeds, Kashmiri red chilli powder as well as fennel, cumin and mustard seeds. Mustard seed oil is very important in a traditional achari curry.

Balti

Balti is technically a method of cooking, rather than a recipe. The word balti refers to the cast-iron dish used – it is wok shaped and has two handles on either side of it. There is much controversy around a balti curry, as it’s believed to be more British than Indian. Despite this, you can often expect a balti curry to have a thick tomato-based gravy and that the protein used would have been stir-fried in the balti before being added back to the curry sauce.

Jalfrezi

Jalfrezis date back to the time of the British Raj and as such is something of an Anglo-Indian fusion. Even so, this particular curry carries a strong but not overpowering heat, owing to the presence of green chiles stir-fried with tomato, onion, and coriander.

Vindaloo

Vindaloo curries are, by most standards, the true test of one’s constitution with regards to spicy foods. Originally from the Portuguese colony of Goa, vindaloos go with only a few spices in copious quantities to produce an incredibly hot dish.  Those with iron-clad stomachs and palates will find vindaloos to be a delicious meal every time.

Last but not least,

Korma

Although the Korma, commonly served with chicken and rice, is a traditional dish originating from Northern India and Pakistan, it involves little to no spice, making it the mildest curry. The flavour holds more of a sweet and creamy taste rather than rich and spicy, with the main ingredients including yoghurt, coconut milk and nuts, such as almonds or cashews. Only a mild curry powder is used to coat the chicken initially, then mild yet flavoursome spices such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin are added. 

Stay tuned for their amazing recipes!