The difference between a good and a great curry!

In Indian cuisine, curry means almost every dish that has a sauce base, made with a mixture of spices, onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. This may sound easy but it’s really a bit complicated, requiring proper cooking technique and the use of the right ingredients if you’re not from an Indian household. But these are the things that make a curry praiseworthy. Here are some good techniques of cooking curries that you might like to know.

A brief on the history

The term ‘curry’ has a meaning that translates to a thick sauce made with spices, especially the Indian spices. It is believed that when the Portuguese entered the southern Indian states centuries back, they found several stew-based recipes made with coconut milk, spices, and tamarind, and gave it the name ‘Carel’ which means Kari (in Tamil). 

As the Britishers invaded the country, they changed it to ‘curry’ and took the most-special dish outside the nation. This is why distinct types of curries were found in several cultures like Japanese, Germany, Singapore, and many others. But they were nothing like Indian curries that were made with the vibrant spice mix.    

Difference between a good and a great curry

Use a generous amount of spices 

It’s obvious that the first thing that makes a good curry a great one is the right amount of spices. Spices are a non-separable part of the gourmet Indian fast-food and specifically curries that add zest and texture to them. It’s important to make sure you put spices generously but strike a balance as well. 

For instance, you can’t put as much red chili as coriander powder in the curry. Also, avoid putting all the salt and garam masala at the beginning of the cooking process. Both of them can be added at the end of the process to keep the flavor alive and avoid ruining the dish completely.

 

Cook in the right order with the right ingredients 

A great curry always boasts of the finger-licking masala base which can be brought up with onions and tomatoes. In some curries, the use of yogurt and coconut milk is also necessary. Apart from them, it also requires pungent flavors of ginger and garlic that give the curry a much-required punch. 

All of these ingredients can make your curry commendable if added and cooked in the right way. If any of these ingredients are not properly cooked, your curry might lose it all and not be worthy of the title - a great one.  

Consistency of the curry 

The consistency of the curry matters as nobody would like a curry that is too thick or too watery. Add the right amount of water that doesn’t mitigate the flavors of prepared gravy. Honestly, you wouldn’t want to add too much water into it just to ruin it or to make it thicker on high heat later on. Because in any case it will overpower the richness and suppress the flavors and goodness that would come otherwise.  

Visit us at Royal Kitchen to enjoy delicious curries and lip-smacking Indian food. We also provide delivery and takeout food near Oakland airport that you can try every now and then.