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‘Curry’ has become a catchall phrase for a saucy dish with a gravy thoroughly seasoned with spices. It is also common to associate it with India. And while that is largely correct, there is much more to the history of curry. Not all curries come with gravy or sauce nor do they all come from India. While we can trace the origin of curry back to the Indian subcontinent, its globalization gave birth to many cultural variations as it traveled from the south to the southeast, and east of Asia.  

Today we delve into the curry’s saucy history and spicy culture – let’s see how the centuries-long colonial rule in India made humble local dishes so inspiring and popular that today the ‘curry’ is referred to as the “adopted national dish” in the isle of the British Empire itself. 

Ancient spice trade and the early history of curry

Spices and India have shared a longer history than you might have thought.  

The rich history of curry is intertwined with the early spice trade in Asia. While exact historical records are not available ancient spice trade routes are believed to have had a vibrant existence in the region from as early as 5000 BCE. Archaeological evidence from the Mohenjo Daro civilization (2600 BCE) suggests people used to grind spices such as cumin, fennel, mustard, and tamarind pods. Consumption of ginger, garlic, and turmeric among them is also archeologically proven. 

The arrival of colonial powers in India, the Portugues in the early 16th century, and the British a century later, contributed to the evolution of the curry in the region as much as the Mughals. 

The Mughals in the North prepared their curries with nuts, dry fruits, and spices. The Portuguese introduced the chili pepper from the Americas to the curries of the South, which had thus far relied on the more subtle Indian black pepper. In the East and West, the Anglo-Indian cooks added rich and thick cream to the spicy curries to make them mild enough for the British palate. They also preferred to use a limited and standard set of spices. 

The spectrum of curry flavors thus continued to evolve with the arrival of foreign men and women and ingredients from the New World. To make the prep of curries easier and more precise for the New World’s taste, the famous ‘curry powder’ was introduced by Indian merchants in the 17th-18th century. This ready-to-use spice mix inspired many more cultural variations of the ‘curry’ across Asia – for instance the Japanese and Chinese curry. 

The British Raj not only influenced Anglo-Indian cooks to adapt local Indian dishes to their palate but birthed the word ‘curry’ as we know it today. Collingham says they lumped a variety of Indian dishes under the word. Previously, these local dishes were known by distinct names. Perhaps the British found it easier to comprehend the culinary concept and unique depth of flavors of their favorite Indian dishes under one heading

The Oxford Dictionaries offer clues to the word’s etymology and suggest its origins lie in Dravidian languages like Tamil and Malayalam. The first English appearance of the word, then spelled as Currey, was in an 18th-century book “Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy”.  

So, is modern-day Curry a baby of colonialism?

Yes and no.

Making meat and vegetable dishes flavorful with a saucy gravy seasoned with spices was how Indians prepared their meals. “No Indian, however, would have referred to his or her food as a curry”, Collingham says. In all fairness, colonialism can only be credited for coining the word ‘curry’ and globalizing this Indian way of cooking food.

The globalization of curry

In the 17th century, curry was on the table of the Englishmen, where meats and other ingredients were made more flavorful with seasoned sauces. These dishes were crafted by Anglo-Indian cooking and duly adapted to British taste buds. In the 19th century, curry landed in British coffee houses, and English traders introduced the curry powder to the Japanese. It also traveled to the Caribbean via indentured workers from India who served in the British sugar industry. 

By the mid-20th century, economic immigrants from South Asia, namely the Indian diaspora, became another carrier of native dishes that fell under the heading of ‘curry’. Curry’s popularity in Britain was no longer owed to the English associates of the Raj who brought the Anglo-Indian cuisine home with them. There were more South Asian flavors for British cuisine to explore than offered by Anglo-Indian curries, which as Collingham says, lacked sophistication. 

Immigrants from India also introduced curry to South Africa where it not only evolved in culinary terms but became a symbol of resistance during the apartheid years. When black people were not allowed to eat in Indian restaurants, Bunny chow was created – curry contained in a tunnel-shaped loaf of bread that could be taken away and eaten on the street. One of the most popular street foods in the country, it upholds the legacy of a small act of rebellion in the face of grave danger.  

Today we see countless variations of the curry that have evolved in different parts of Asia outside the Indian subcontinent. Wherever it went, it has been adapted to local ingredients and palate, become part of the national cuisine, or existed as a symbol of fusion food culture. 

It contains meat, poultry, or fish cooked with or without vegetables, and there are vegetarian curries too. Where no gravy is intended, the cooking method allows the ingredients to be seasoned with spices, and the liquid to evaporate. Many ingredients are used to make saucy gravy for wet curries, such as sauteed crushed onion, tomato puree, yogurt, cream, or coconut milk. 

Popular cultural variations of the curry

In the Indian sub-continent… 

The Indian subcontinent offers the greatest variety of original dishes under the ‘curry umbrella’. Whether in India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, dry and wet curries are part of everyday meals. The ingredients and spices may vary with the local culture, and cooking techniques may differ, but the curry is what people routinely eat with rice or flatbreads.  

Cumin, turmeric, red chili, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, etc. are commonly used to season the ingredients of curries. They may be fried or toasted whole or ground, mixed with a puree made from fresh onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. Fresh coriander and mint are routinely used as a garnish.   

The Mughal-era slow-cooked, rich, and flavorful meat stew called Nihari is the most popular in Pakistan. And, we see popular vegetarian varieties like Dal Makhani and Vindaloo in India, alongside the world-famous Butter Chicken. Rogan Josh from Kashmir is another popular South Asian meat-based curry known for its deep red color and depth of flavor. Its gravy is a vibrant red from the Kashmiri red chilies and an extract of Mawal, a red flower. Kala bhuna, the favorite meat curry in Bangladesh is a unique dish where the meat turns black as it slowly deep-fries with an array of spices that season it.  

In the Far East… 

Across Southeast and East Asia, many countries boast popular cultural variations of the Indian concept of curry. We see many interesting takes that depict characteristics of the local culinary culture.  

The rich and velvety Malay curries are perhaps the closest to their Indian origin as they use many of the same spices and ingredients courtesy of the Indian population in the region. They are a staple in Malay and Chinese homes. 

In Indonesia, we see curries adapted from Indian originals and those birthed by a fusion of cultures. The most popular in the region is the slow-cooked Rendang curry with a thick sauce that sticks to the meat – it is conventionally made with beef.  

The Thai gaeng’ is made with a mix of protein and veggies, in a thick sauce based on a paste made from ingredients such as chilies, shallots, onions, and garlic. The shrimp paste is a key flavoring ingredient in Thai curries. Thai green curry is a popular choice – it is made from green chilies, kaffir lime leaves, and basil, and is quite mild. Hotter curries use yellow and red chilies. 

In Vietnam curry’s regional variation is ca ri. It is heavily influenced by Indian and Thai culinary sensibilities – and uses coconut milk, Madras-style curry powder, and a lot of turmeric along with fresh ingredients like ginger, coriander, lemongrass, etc. Vietnam’s beloved comfort food is the mildly spicy, well-balanced, coconut chicken curry. 

The Burmese curry is made with slow-cooked meat that simmers in a curry paste containing garlic, onion, turmeric, and tomato. Like Thai curries, they also use the shrimp paste for more flavor. Since there is often no chili, these curries are milder.  

In the Philippines, some native dishes use coconut milk and curry powder, which depicts the Indian curry culture. The Filipino oxtail curry is believed to have been an Indian inspiration that reached Manila when the British Empire briefly occupied it.

The Japanese considered curry a Western dish because it was introduced to them by British traders who brought the curry powder over from India.  Japanese curry – ‘kare raisu’ – is thicker and less spicy than its traditional South Asian counterparts. It is conventionally made from potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, and meat, and enjoyed with rice and pickled veggies.   Katsu curry is another popular dish in Japan. Fried breaded meat-based cutlets are served atop rice with a thick curry sauce that is both sweet and savory.  

The Chinese use Madras-style curry powder and add local ingredients like star anise. These curries use a variety of proteins and veggies but are milder than their Indian and Thai counterparts.

Like Japan and China, the curry powder inspired the Koreans to include curry in their cuisine. Koreans make their curries like the Japanese in that they use curry powder but milder and yield sweet and savory flavors. 

Concluding words…

Today, the curry has become a global icon of cultural food and a great way to connect people. However, the history of curry cannot be separated from British colonialism. Had the English palate not taken such a liking for Indian flavors, the Anglo-Indian cooks not adapted Indian dishes to suit the Englishman’s palate, and colonial trade not found it profitable to trade curry powder to lands outside the Indian sub-continent, curry may not have gained the worldwide popularity it enjoys today. 

To learn more about exciting food history, explore the Kaiser Foodline blog. And to enjoy Indian curries conveniently, check out traditional delicacies from Kaiser.  

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