“Curry” is one of the loosest words in the culinary lexicon. Popular in almost every country between Pakistan and Japan (and anywhere with a significant Indian diaspora, such as South Africa, the West Indies and Fiji) curries can be saucy or dry, sweet or savoury, spicy or mild, meaty or vegetarian. Most do not contain curry leaves, as you might think.
Regardless of this enormous range of possibilities, when you hear the word you pretty much know what you’re in for: a meal that’s satisfying, big on flavour and easy to eat (the knives can stay in the drawer). Here are seven of our go-tos when curry cravings strike.
Amandeep Sharma’s Butter Chicken
Amandeep Sharma spent six years working at Melbourne’s Attica, the best restaurant in the country, including almost four as a chef de partie. During his tenure, this dish was one of the most popular staff meals. We can see why. The yoghurt’s gentle lactic tang and the lemon juice’s sharper acidity are the perfect foils to the richness of the cream and tomatoes. This lovely balance makes this luscious curry lighter than you might expect.
Patty Antico’s Khao Soi
Anyone who’s been to Chiang Mai will know the joy of khao soi. The soupy, coconut milk-based red curry is one of northern Thailand’s most iconic dishes. This particular version came to Australia 35 years ago with Thai expat Patty Antico, whose daughter Tania Fergusson co-owns Sydney’s Automata and A1 Canteen. Like Sharma’s butter chicken, it’s one of the most popular staff meals at the two restaurants. Regardless of whether you’re a hospo worker pulling long shifts, khao soi’s hearty mix of chicken, sharp red onion, pickled mustard greens and filling egg noodles is easy to appreciate.
Two Good Co’s Snapper Curry With Brown Rice and Pumpkin
Sydney’s Two Good Co is a social enterprise that provides meals and work to domestic violence survivors. As much as possible, it focuses on comforting, nourishing food – such as this curry, which contains turmeric, ginger and a rainbow of vegetables. It’s a simpler version of a fish-curry recipe head chef Jane Strode learned at Neil Perry’s Rockpool when she was just starting her hospitality career. “It was cooked to order with coral trout,” she says. “They’d serve it with fresh semolina noodles and lightly blanched vegetables. The lid would come off the pot, and the customer would get a hit of fragrance.”
Sara Oteri’s Sri Lankan-Style Lamb Curry With Basmati Rice
This fragrant curry takes two hours to cook, but demands just 15 minutes of prep time. Like many curries, it also uses just a single pot. And the third and final big tick? A similar balance to Sharma’s butter chicken, courtesy of natural yoghurt, lime juice and coconut flakes. Your house is going to smell so, so good.
Shane Delia’s Lamb-Shoulder Curry With Green Pea Basmati Rice
You’ve met roast lamb, and lamb curry. Now meet their well-endowed offspring: Shane Delia’s roast lamb curry. This is the kind of frankenfood we can get behind. The lamb is marinated in garlic and cumin for five hours, then plonked in a coconut milk curry and cooked for more than four hours until it’s a burnished golden brown. The final touch? Finely grated macadamias, to make the lamb look like it’s “been sprinkled with snow”. Very nice stuff from the host of SBS’s Spice Journey and the owner of Melbourne’s Maha.
Griff Pamment’s Thai Red-Curry Soup
The former executive chef at shuttered Sydney institution Longrain makes this quick, warming cross between curry and laksa when he goes camping. At home, in an actual kitchen, it’s a cinch and sacrifices nothing on flavour. The dish is vegetarian and gets its bulk from pumpkin, but you can easily throw in some seared chicken or another meat of your choosing.
Hugh Allen’s Marron Curry
This rich, bisque-like curry, from the executive chef at Melbourne fine diner Vue de Monde, marries Southeast Asian flavours with Aussie ingredients: marron heads, barramundi bones and Tasmanian mountain pepper. Clocking in at two and a half hours, this is a definite weekend project, but there’s commensurate satisfaction to be gained in nailing the four sub-recipes: coconut and cauliflower puree, blanched marron heads, marron and saffron paste, and finally the curry itself.
FAQs
A famed tradition Indo-Guyana is 7 curry. It is generally served in a water-lily leaf, and is rice with seven different curries, which are traditionally pumpkin, bagee (spinach), catahar, potato/ channa (chick peas), balange (eggplant), edoe, and dahl.
What are the seven curries in Guyana? ›
The 7 Curry is a local vegetarian specialty beloved by the Guyanese. The tour consists of gathering the water lily leaves to serve as your plate, visiting the local market to gather the vegetables and spices for the curries and introducing you to the wonderful exotic fruits.
What are the secret ingredients to a good curry? ›
Indian chef Maunika Gowardhan suggests using tomato purée, coconut milk or yoghurt as natural thickening agents to achieve the perfect consistency. Adding ground nuts such as almonds or peanuts can also be a great way to ensure your curry is a knockout.
How to make curry taste like restaurant? ›
Simple suggestions for restaurant good quality curries:
- Fry your onions till they are golden brown.
- Fry your spices but don't burn them. ...
- Use good quality spices. ...
- Seasoning. ...
- Use fatty yoghurt (greek style works) in curries to make them richer. ...
- Patience. ...
- Use a neutral vegetable oil. ...
- Experiment.
Thai dishes have won over the hearts of foodies all over the world.
What is the Holy Trinity of curry? ›
essential for a good curry.
Why is it called Devil Curry? ›
The similarity of the words debal and devil, probably paired with spiciness of the dish, lead to it being adopted into the English language as "Devil curry". The term "deviled", in reference to food is often used with spicy or zesty food, including foods prepared with mustard as an ingredient.
What is the oldest curry in the world? ›
As per a reel video by celebrity chef Kunal Kapur shared on Instagram, the oldest curry is almost 4000 year old and it was Baigan Curry, which was made with aubergine, ginger, and turmeric from the share of a bulbous handi (pot).
What is the signature dish of Guyana? ›
Pepper pot is Guyana's national dish, made popular by Amerindian peoples, and is often served at Christmas and special occasions. It includes cassareep (the juice of the cassava boiled until it reduces and caramelizes) and wiri wiri peppers — small and spicy cherry peppers native only to Guyana.
How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›
The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.
Fenugreek (Methi)
This Indian spice is what people say "smells like curry." Of all Indian spices, this spice may be the most essential. You may use up to a few tablespoons in a family size dish near the end of the cooking process, but start with a teaspoon. Fenugreek seeds also have many health benefits.
What makes curry more tasty? ›
Fixing cooked curries and gravies is no less than a challenge, but a simple way to do so is by adding freshly chopped herbs like coriander, basil, fenugreek leaves, spinach, mint leaves. The fresh flavour of these herbs can instantly elevate the taste and texture and give them a health twist.
How to elevate a curry? ›
15 Ways To Add More Flavor To Curry
- Infuse smokiness with charcoal. Lukas Gojda/Shutterstock. ...
- Add tempered spices on top. ...
- Finish with diverse garnishes. ...
- Cook with chutneys and pickles. ...
- A dash of acidity goes a long way. ...
- Balance out the spiciness with jaggery. ...
- Sprinkle over some crispy onions. ...
- Up the aromatics.
A curry can be sweetened by adding honey, syrup, or sugar. These ingredients add flavour and balance to a sour or bitter curry. Add around one tablespoon of either ingredient to your curry while cooking and taste. Continue to slowly add syrup, honey, or sugar to the dish until a sweet flavour is achieved.
How to jazz up a curry sauce? ›
Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.
What are the different types of curry? ›
Some of the most popular types of curries are red, yellow, green, massaman, panang. These curries vary depending on region, but have some similarities in their makeup, like chilies, veggies, and spices.
What is the hottest curry in order? ›
The Top 5 Spiciest Curries
- Vindaloo. Well known as one of the spiciest Indian dishes, Vindaloo can be found on most Indian curry house menus, and is Goan in origin with a Portuguese influence. ...
- Naga Chicken. Naga chicken is made with one of the world's hottest chilli peppers, the naga chilli. ...
- Jalfrezi. ...
- Laal Maas. ...
- Kozhi Curry.
Typically, when making an Indian curry, I heat oil, add whole spices, then add and cook onions, add and cook ginger + garlic, add dry spices + tomatoes, and cook the meat in the sauce.
