Curry is a mix and blend of spices, concocted together to create something special. Curry is used in loads of recipes and used to create a variety of dishes in Indian cuisine. So, it is only normal that if you think of curry, the picture of Indian cuisines comes to mind.
Curry is used outside the Southeast Asian region, it has evolved into an all-purpose spice that can be used in soups, stews, and dishes. So, if you come across some curry you don’t have to wait until you have an Indian cuisine, you could test it out on your own. In the meantime, we are going to tell you what curry tastes like so you would know what to expect.
What does curry taste like? Curry has a unique taste and flavor due to a combination of sweet and savory spices that constitutes its makeup. Curry has a deep earthy flavor due to spices like turmeric which also gives it its color. That deep earthy flavor is accompanied by some brightness and pep.
The level of heat in a curry depends on the type and amount of pepper used in the mix. Spices like cinnamon, red chilies, and clove can bring some heat while spices like black pepper or ginger would mean mild heat.
Curry contains a mix of spices like cumin, turmeric, mustard, clove, ginger pepper, cardamom, coriander, bay leaf, and fenugreek. The list could be quite long as there is no particular formula to make curry. As long as the taste and flavor are derived, it is all good. Curry doesn’t just have a vibrant flavor, it has benefits that it proffers to the human body.
Nutritional Benefits of Curry
Curry surprisingly has quite a handful of benefits to offer the human body. Most people know it to be a flavor bomb, so they only add a pinch or two to their food to give it that kick. But, curry has a lot of health benefits.
Turmeric is one of the major ingredients in curry and it is responsible for its color but it does a lot more than that. For centuries, turmeric has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and take care of inflammation and pain.
Turmeric contains curcumin which is a powerful antioxidant that counteracts the effect of inflammation-causing enzymes by lowering their levels in the body. Some medical experts have suggested that turmeric could be more effective as a painkiller than ibuprofen.
Curcumin’s antioxidant properties also make it perfect for preventing diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Sclerosis. Turmeric also contains a chemical known as turmerone. It is proficient in stimulating the stem cells of the brain to make new brain cells. The creation of new brain cells can help with the neurodegenerative conditions that cause these diseases.
Curry can also help to aid digestion. The concoction of black pepper and other spices is good for one’s gut and can help pass gas and produce more stomach acid. It can also help keep upset stomachs away as well as avoid diarrhea and nausea.
There are spices included in curry, known as vasodilators. They help maintain a healthy heart and lower your blood pressure. All of these could help reduce cardiovascular diseases, strokes, and heart attacks.
Culinary Uses of Curry
Many people like curry in marinades. Having your meat soak in all of those spices is a wonderful thing. Curry is generally used to add flavor to soups, dishes, stews, marinades, sauces, meat, and veggies. Outside of using the curry as a flavor, people are finding more ways to use this curry in the kitchen.
Some chefs are using curry in unconventional ways like using it in potato salads, a seasoning on hamburgers or in scrambled eggs. Curry has so much flavor that it can be used as a salt-free seasoning for dishes. It can also be used to make curried chicken.
Curry works best when it is not the main flavor in your dish or recipe. It works best when it is paired with other spices or flavor bombs like onions or garlic. The timing of the addition of curry into food also matters because it determines how it would feel in your food.
History of Curry? How Do You Procure It?
Curry can be linked to the garam masala from Southeast Asia. The curry powder was created and shipped to Britain in the 18th century to invoke the presence of Indian cooking or simulate something similar.
Curry is rumored to be a British invention, this claim is shaky since the original curry predates the European’s presence in the region for about 4000 years. When the British colonial army was returning to the homeland, it was one of the things they took with them.
Curry has found its way in various places and walks of life. No one really knows when curry was invented but there has been archaeological evidence of spices being ground together with a mortar and pestle to produce a spice with which food was flavored.
You can purchase curry in the many grocery stores that are scattered across the country. But since the curry has been pre-ground, it would not be fresh and the flavor would not be very vibrant.
Why Does Curry Taste Good?
A lot of labor goes into the preparation of curry, if you are trying it for the first time, the mix of so many spices may not feel good. But curry is a bit of an acquired taste, over time you get to appreciate more how it tastes.
Curry tastes so good because of the heavy doses of tamarind, cardamom, and cayenne that are present in it.
Facts You Don’t Know About Curry
- You can make your curry with some spices and with the help of a coffee grinder.
- The spice used in many Indian curry dishes is garam masala and not curry itself.
- Curry powder doesn’t contain curry leaves as they are two different entities.