What Is Curry?

You may have seen it in a recipe, at a store, or saw it on a spice rack, and had to ask yourself, what is curry? Curry is a blend of spices with a strong taste and smell, used in traditional Indian cooking. And it can be delicious!

Curry has a long and storied past. Although it is believed that curry originated in India, there is evidence that the English used it in recipes as early as the 1300's. The spice became popular during World War II, when traveling soldiers discovered new tastes when abroad. Since then, the love of curry has spread worldwide. Although it's often thought of as a spice in and of itself, curry is actually blended from several different spices, and may contain well-known seasonings such as cumin, turmeric, ginger, chili or coriander. The strong tasting spices blended into the mix are what give curry its unique flavor. Traditional Indian curry may be extremely spicy, while the store-bought curry is much milder, in keeping with Western tastes.  The name curry was derived from the word "kari", a South Indian word that means "sauce", however curry as we know it has many different names throughout the world. For example, curry in India is any dish with a spicy sauce, while in England, the term curry is synonymous with Indian food. 

Today curry is becoming quite popular in all cultures, and is used to flavor everything from entrees to drinks, to even desserts. Consider this savory spice when jazzing up your next meal.