Curry has such an influence and diversity in Asia that discussion will be limited to Southeast, South, and Central Asia, omitting the kaleidoscopic array of Indian regional cuisines. History is scant on the Indian leg of curry’s journey, telling us only a little about the development of the curry of Carnac and Malabar. How it traveled to the west and beyond, the British observations of it do, however, help us to date the formulation of curry au Cambodge. Today, curry is a significant component of national cuisines in China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as the Indian whole we have glimpsed.
The national adaptations of curry and related or ancillary dishes are as varied as the countries themselves, dictated by historical influences from neighboring and sometimes distant civilizations, such as regional predominant crops and religious dictates, as well as the cumulative effect of other domestic and international ingredients that have made their way into the Indian or Indian-influenced heritage. Items such as cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger, and turmeric might today constitute part of the basic Pakistani home kitchen or the Persian cookery that crept into the Indian repertoire during pre-Mughal times. They would, however, be about as foreign as the human sacrifices of Malabar to the Brahmins of upper India in the seventh century. They have therefore been omitted in lieu of those ingredients which form the unbroken tradition from medieval times to today. All the curries of Asia have common elements: they are mostly meat or fowl or fish, they are all eaten with the staple or starchy product of the region (bread, rice, sago, or sweet potatoes), and they are cooked in a sauce, generally one that is customized to the region’s taste, e.g., tropical South Asian sours and sweet things.
Historical Origins of Curry in Asia
To trace curry, one of the most characteristic flavors in Asia, is a complex narrative interwoven with grand historical events, landscapes, and people. Scholars from different disciplines are struggling to determine where and when curry was born. Many theories and hypotheses have been put forward by virtue of food culture, trade routes, etymology, spices, cooking techniques, eating habits, recipes, and sauces. Despite reservations of the iconic dish “curry” to be pinpointed, no doubts about the spices, influences, regions, religion, and historical interplay with which it combines.
According to Tim Steele, former president of the New Zealand Curry Society and patron of the Spice Market restaurant, Wellington, “Curries are as old as Cook’s voyages, probably older.” Although it is common to associate curry with the Indian subcontinent, its origins lie in Asia, which spread into various regional diets and developed into even more distinct and unique dishes. The term “curry” is an English deputation from the Tamil kari meaning “gravy, sauce”, and a Dravidian word which refers to all salt sauces in southern India. Today, numerous dishes in Asia served dry, simmered or in thin soupy broth, are also colloquially identified as curry.
Over two millennia ago in the mid-fifth century BC, Carthaginians sailed to the Tissia consumed by Asians at the Port of Mapural, Srikakulam district, now in India, wrote Greek historian Herodotus. Four centuries later, Apollonius from Tyre and His Times trace the export of the Tamil pe inferred that pepper and other spices went to China through ports. Names of dishes change, cooking methods slightly vary, and spices are proportioned differently within geographical regions of the continent. In the open exchange of the region’s cuisines exists also the origin of the term and taste of something POTRO or CURRI as found in Medieval European cookery lists.
Regional Varieties of Curry in Asia
Curry has become a globally beloved taste, and there are many regional varieties in Asia that boast unique characteristics different from country to country.
Indian Curry The different varieties of Indian curries are as countless as there are regions on its enormous landmass. There are even curries that use fresh fruit like mango, though the mango curry is just one of the bewildering number of Indian curries like masala curry and Mysore curry, to name just a few. There’s also a beautiful saying in India that states, “There are as many curries as there are families.”
Thai curries are widely known for their characteristic color, which comes from the use of turmeric, another characteristic. Common Thai curries include the fiery red curry, spicy green curry, and slightly sweet massaman curry.
Japanese curries are known for the use of a type of roux that is rich and spicy but less complex in flavor compared to other curry varieties in Asia. The thick curry roux is typically used in Katsu curry, a popular curry dish in Japan that is also famous among foreign tourists.
There are generally two types of Malaysian curries: coconut milk-based curries with thick broth, and tamarind-based curries without coconut milk. Nasi kandar, another Malaysian curry dish, is famous around the country and served from Indian Muslim restaurants.
In Indonesia, curry dishes are sometimes referred to as Kari because of the strong colonial influence in its language. Many key Indonesian cities have centuries-old Kari shops and the curry dishes produced vary from region to region.
Most traditional curry dishes in Sri Lanka can be served with rice, types of flatbread like appam, or bread.
Indian Curry
Indian curry, or simply ‘curry,’ is a dish with a sauce that has the flavors of India. In Hindi, the Indian language, “kari” means any sauce, seasoning, or relish. Initially, curry was food prepared with the use of a ‘spice blend’, which is a combination of coriander, fenugreek, fresh ginger, garlic, onions, and light vegetable oil, tomatoes, and the primary spices used in curry powder. It is used in Indian cuisine as a thick gravy to accompany vegetables and legumes. In Indian curry, legumes are sometimes fried and spiked with whole spices to make them more digestible. Sometimes, a portion of the legumes is pureed into the sauce to make a thicker, richer dish.
True Indian curry is a time-consuming and complex preparation that consists of up to thirty herbs and spices which must be ground separately. Curry is a cooking method, not a particular powdered spice. Six to ten different individual powdered spices, such as cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and coriander, go into the making of preblended curry powder, which approximates Indian flavors. A curry dish is not supposed to be eye-watering hot but should have a rich mingling of flavors and an even balance of sweet, sour, and savory tastes. Curry flavoring should be allowed to develop in a dish for two to eight hours before serving. Curries developed in a variety of traditions and religious and ethnic groups, so there are endless variations. Curry dishes are traditionally served with a starch, sometimes mixed in with the dish. Basmati rice, naan bread, or roti served on the side is common.
There are many traditions of curry in India, each reflecting the environment, the economic status of the eater, and religious background. In the state of Goa, there is Portuguese influence and Southeast Asian influence. Indigenous Parsis, Parsees, are a small sect that fled Muslim persecution and came to India from the Fertile Crescent. Indian curry tends to be vegetarian in the humid south, fishy in the coastal states, and Punjabi in the north. In India, Muslims push the culinary boundaries by mixing milk and chicken in recipes.
Thai Curry
The wonderful, authentic curry in Thailand reflects local food culture and ingredients. The best curry in Thailand stimulates the taste buds of world gourmets. As a highly diverse country with different types of curry, Thai curry is spicier than other Asian curries and is famous for its strong flavors, making it a staple of Thai dining. It features the perfect blend of exotic herbs and spices, tangy with a peanut flavor, and depending on the type of curry and the level of spiciness you choose, it can be very delicious or very strong.
In Thai cuisine, curry is a common and most famous staple food and comes in a variety of forms. The combinations of herbs and spices are responsible for the variation of flavors, colors, and aromatic profiles that are found in these dishes. Some types of curry even have messages. Thai Massaman curry, for example, is a hit on the global scene and has a flavor comparable to Indian and Middle Eastern food. In the south of Thailand, local people prepare this fragrant Massaman curry, with flavors of peanuts and spices with Indian influence such as fennel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and nutmeg. The Thale Noi Floating Market near Phatthalung is one of the best places to grab a bite to eat. Then there is a curry anarchy in the Isan region in the northeast of Thailand. Ariya’s kitchen in Ayutthaya prepares fiery northeast-style curries and serves them with local bread, typical of the northeastern region of Thailand. Also, green curry is the most popular, with bright green from green chili and basil leaves and has a sweeter, creamy flavor. It is richly flavored with coconut milk and includes sweet basil leaves, making it slightly sweeter than red curry.
Japanese Curry
Japanese curry, on the other hand, did not develop based on recipes brought from India directly but through Britain and other origins, from Indonesians, Persians, Turks, Chinese, and other peoples who immigrated in the early modern and modern periods. Thus, the product was born in a unique cultural contact between pan-Asian and European flavors and serves as a window into the evolving country of Japan. Generally, it is characterized as sweet with the aroma of curry powder. From the latter part of the 19th century, the Navy adopted the Royal Navy’s traditional British curry. Recipes for naval curry remain in Japan as a part of the oumaji, or Western-style cuisine. The dish that is recognized as being the most similar or the closest approximation to the naval curry, among an overwhelming number of recipes of the time, is the “Ranji Kareboshi” section I (1908) of Krause’s Recipe Collection. Other recipes include a pairing of curry with “frosty” (cold) beer, indicating that the curry of this period was enjoyed primarily in cozy family settings, in contrast to the fancy harbor-view of the restaurant.
The basic ingredients of Japanese curry are beef, onions, carrots, and potatoes, and a range of other ingredients, including fruits such as apples and bananas. After the ingredients have been browned, they may be stewed in water, or the roux is added and the entire dish is simmered together. Flavoring agents include soy sauce, mirin, sake, and Japanese Worcestershire sauce. Essential spices are chili, curry powder, or curry paste, for a savory yet mildly hot taste. Toppings and condiments often include pickles like Fukujinzuke and Rakkyo. Other popular dishes that use these curry roux include katsu (fried pork or chicken cutlet; katsu means “cutlet”), udon (thick wheat-flour noodle soup), bread, and young “baby” bamboo shoot with Sansho (Japanese pepper) seasoned Mackerel. It is served with tonkatsu, a deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, and hardly refers to Punjabi cuisine.
Malaysian and Indonesian Curry
As a testament to a common thread that weaves through all South Asian cuisine, we see a distinguished curry influence in Malaysian and Indonesian culinary, from the level of flavors to different tastes obtained with local spices. But to say that Malaysian and Indonesian curries are a branch of traditional South Asian curry is to ignore the magnitude of cultural differences in these countries and thus the diversity of their cuisine, including the type of spices and ingredients used.
Curry is a favorite dish in most Indonesian communities. In regions with large non-Muslim populations, chocolate can be found as one of the main ingredients in Indonesian curry recipes. In Indonesia, curry has been integrated into the Mi Ki and Baburag porridge recipes. Coconut milk combined with other unique spices is the secret to the soft aroma of Indonesian curry, a unique aroma unmatched by any other curry. The basic ingredients of Indonesian curry are similar to those of other nations with a hint of the flavor of lemongrass, one of the prime ingredients, giving it a unique local flavor. Lemongrass has a very significant role in Indonesian curry, which is included in all types of Indonesian curry dishes. Curries that act as soupy seasonings can have lemongrass cut or without, giving a huge range of aromatic flavors. Galangal, lime leaves, ginger, and basil are widely available in planters’ yards and markets throughout Indonesia, giving curry a unique scent that tickles the taste buds. Nil chili, while also acting as an antibacterial drug.
Sri Lankan Curry
Sri Lankan curry, which is also called Ceylon curry, is made with coconut, and with coconut milk becoming popular, Sri Lankan cuisine is becoming known as well. The illustration is chicken curry, but there are also fish curry, vegetable curry, and beef curry.
Ingredients: – Coconut – Red onion – Shallots – Garlic – Ginger – Ghee – Chili powder – Masala – Coriander powder – Fenugreek powder – Lime juice – Salt – Curry leaves – Cinnamon – Curry powder – Mustard seed
Sri Lankan Curry (Ceylon Curry) Usage: 500g chicken thigh or beef roast
Preparation: 1. Firstly, mix shallot and garlic. Then, grate ginger, warm it in the microwave to remove water, and mix it with 2. 2. Sauté red onions well and add 1. in a frying pan. 3. Heat ghee, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of chili powder in a pan, and stir well. 4. Put the steak or chicken from 1 on top, and heat it.
Sri Lankan curry is still made by grinding the roasted spices and mixing them with coconut milk. Furthermore, fenugreek, which is said to have a complex flavor with cow horns, is a characteristic ingredient. It is said that you can enjoy the flavors of the spices with great depth. Ancient Sri Lankans were big fans of curry and knew how to prepare world-class curries. Curry and rice were the two dishes that were eaten. Since then, curry has become a popular dish in the world. Sri Lankan curry is now a popular dish in Sri Lanka. Curry leaves are picked from curry trees. Curry powder: There are 3 types of curry powder. They are Sri Lankan, Indian, and Singaporean. Sri Lankan curry powder does not include cumin. Sri Lankan curry powder and Indian curry powder are quite similar. Singaporean curry powder is different from Sri Lankan and Indian curry powder. It has a mild flavor.
Ingredients and Spices Used in Asian Curry
Curry has become a feature of many culinary traditions around the world as a symbol of global gastronomy, but it has various forms of expression. Although it originated in India and later South Asia, today we find curry dishes in many Asian countries. Every country and region has different components. Many different spices and ingredients are blended over a moderate heat to make a smooth curry taste consistent.
Curry is a blended spice and is typically used in curry blends. These blends can range in consistency from a smooth dry powder to much thicker, paste-like wet blends of diverse colours and textures. Curry kits, including pre-measured spices with associated recipes, are readily available to home cooks. Fundamental spices include cumin seeds, (dry) coriander, and turmeric, often used as a dried mixture that leaves the brown tempering back. In some recipes of the Malayalis of South India, urad dal, chana dal, sesame seeds, and white poppy seeds are also sometimes used along with freshly grated coconut.
Commonly used ingredients for preparing a curry in Kerala are fewer than those in other curries found in such regions as South India. Ingredients generally used in a curry today are as follows: spices – white poppy seeds, leaves of the curry tree, ground coriander, leaves of the mint, roasted dried coconut, black stone flower, ginger, garlic, onion, dried red chilly, coconut milk, tomato, etc. Many herbs also contribute to the variety of its overall sensory concept.
The basic cooking method employed is the sautéing technique, which releases the fragrance of the spices. The curry is now prepared with the addition of water and viscosity developed with the reduction of water at moderate temperature. Spiciness is a perfect combination of hot taste sensation softened by the addition of fat and creamy viscosity provided by coconut milk or ghee. Creamy curries contain nut pastes, for example, almond, poppy seed, cashew paste in Korma flavor, and pesto (combination of garlic, salt, pine nuts, basil, cheese, and olive oil as the paste) used as a sauce in several dishes.
Health Benefits and Cultural Significance of Curry in Asian Cuisine
Curry is prepared differently in different regions, hence the entire world is influenced by curry. It is not only an influence in terms of aroma and flavor, but also an influence for the human body and soul. Whether it’s the black, white, yellow or brown variety, the dish contains a number of nutritional elements, including large amounts of micronutrients. People from various age groups and income levels can benefit from a variety of nutritional aspects. It is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C, B6, and E, which have numerous physiological as well as psychological applications. Consumption of curry recipes might also aid in the treatment of a variety of chronic health conditions and diseases in the body.
Besides nutritional worth, curry has a rich background in Asian cuisine and society. It is regarded as a crucial component of their cuisine and way of life by a large number of Asian people across the world, owing to the centuries of tradition it is steeped in. It not only aids in preserving the endless selection of indigenous ingredients, but it also serves to unify the wide range of ethnic communities. Curry is seen as a vital component of their national cuisine by a variety of ethnic groups across the globe. It similarly offers an assortment of meals and takes in the collective diversity (regional, ethnic, gender, class, creed, and diversity). This also takes in the different locations of the local population, as a fundamental national cuisine.