Curry favor with this misunderstood but delicious spice

It's curry, plural

If you’re like many of us, you’ve gone through the years blithely unaware that curry is a mixture of spices and not just one spice named Curry. After all, you’ve got your Curry Shrimp, Curried Chicken, Curried Tuna, Shrimp Curry, Cauliflower Curry, Curry Stephen, Vegan Curry, Curried Meatballs, Eggplant Curry, Weeknight Red Curry, et al. Yes, curry is not just yellow; it’s also green and red. I was over fifty when I learned about the colors, after having lived in my meat-infested American world for, well, over fifty years. I could go on and on about curry dishes, but I’d end up sounding like Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump.

So what’s in curry? It depends. There are many combinations that originate in different countries, cuisines, and dishes. The main ingredients are turmeric (Not tumeric!), cumin, coriander, ginger, chilies, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and chili peppers. Other spices and herbs are used, and some curry mixes can contain up to 60 ingredients. Turmeric is the main ingredient, and if you tap some out of the jar onto your tongue (try it!) you’d find it to have a warm, bitter taste. It’s also yellow in color, and it is used in mustard, butter, and cheese.

Curry powder was exported from India to Britain in the 18th Century, and it has had a definite impact on the development of food in the British Isles. Countless British troops who served in India developed a taste for curry and brought back the spice mixture to their homes. Eventually, companies in South Asia began marketing the concoction to England. The two types of curry are wet and dry. Wet curry is sprinkled or rolled onto foods before cooking and doesn’t use added liquid. Wet curry includes a significant amount of dairy cream or yoghurt—and/or coconut milk—and sometimes tomato puree.

Curry is also healthy! Turmeric is a popular supplement and has been endorsed by WebMD and other medical sites. It is said to fight cancer, ease depression, act as an outstanding anti-oxidant, and keep blood sugar levels steady. A major component of turmeric is curcumin, which has been used to help people with prediabetes. Many of the ingredients in curry contain positive benefits for your health.

The first curry recipe appeared in a cookbook written by Hannah Glasse in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Kerala, in Southern India, is famous for its use of coconut milk and pasta. Masala, which means spice, is used in dishes which tend to be more spicy. Tikka, literally meaning “piece,” is usually a piece of meat. Chicken Tikka Masala is a popular curry dish in the West. At Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953, a special curry dish was invented, Coronation Chicken. One of the world’s most famous curry restaurants, Veeraswamy, has been preparing curry dishes in London since 1926.

If you’re now in the mood for a curry dish, Chico hosts a few Indian and Thai restaurants where you can indulge your desire. GTFO and try a tasty dish of this delicious spice tonight.

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