Curry
The Vegetable Sauce around the World
History of Curry
Despite what many people think, curry is not one sauce that you use. Curry is a meat, vegetable, or fish dish with a spicy sauce. The first ever recipe of a dish with a spicy sauce was found in 1700 B.C. and is was written by the Sumerians. The origin of the word "curry" has not been officially determined, but most people believe that is has come from "kari", a word meaning spiced sauce from the Tamil language. But one thing is sure about all of these theories, the word "curry" came from India and was adopted by the British Raj. But when a person looks closer to the origin of curry, it even becomes possible that it was an English word all along. Curry was already well known to Europe before the British even came to India. It is even possible that the kind of curry that Europeans used wasn't even originally from India. It could have been that curry really came down from the Medieval English times and Western Asian recipes involving a spicy sauce. Sauces very similar to curry started becoming very popular in 1157-1199 or during the time of Richard I. A revolution was in process as cooks all around England started making sauces using ginger, cumin, and other spices very similar to India's curry.
An Indian chicken curry dish.
Did you know?
The first ever commercial Curry powder to be sold in the market open to public was in 1780.
About Curry
Curry doesn't only come in one taste or flavor. There are many types of Curry ranging in their spiciness levels or "heat" factor. Curry may come in a mild spicy, like Korma, or to a very hot and spicy, like Phaal. Curry's Western meaning is different from the Indian meaning for it. In India, curry is a stew dish or gravy. Hot and spicy peppers were not part of the original recipe of Curry as these peppers were not native to India. Many people are addicted to curry as it is a natural pain reliever. Our bodies reaction to all types of curry release certain chemicals in our body achieving a natural high. It also makes us crave more curry and a spicier version of curry. Curry can also help prevent or relieve certain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and arthritis. It can also help prevent or block breast cancer. Lastly, one of the final benefits of curry is that it also can improve your memory.
The picture above and to the right depicts a curry tree. This is the plant where the base for the Indian curry sauce comes from.
Event Information
National Curry week
National Curry week is a week to promote local Indian restaurants, try out curry and to help raise money for charities.
When?
Monday, Oct 7, 2013, 12:00 AM
Where?
United Kingdom
Curry's path to fame
Curry's fame didn't begin in India or Western Asia but it first started to appear in the Eastern Culture in some of the first cook books made. This is also how the Britain was introduced to the concept of curry or a dish with a spicy sauce. The first English cook book made by many different people was called "Cury" which is the origin for the word curry. "Cury" in Old English means cooking and was derived from the French word "cuire", to cook, boil, or grill, which is also the base word for cuisine. In 1747, Hannah Glasse discovered the first modern recipe for "currey" and by 1773, there was at least one London Coffee House that had curry on its menu. In 1791, Stephana Malcom included many curry recipes in her new cook book being published. In 1886, curry's fame was established when Willian Makepeace Thackeray wrote a poem called "Poem to Curry" about curry.
Did you know?
Curry is a very popular sauce in Japan and it is used it many dishes.
Works Cited
USA Today, "Tasty curry might have a fringe benefit", http://www.usatoday.com/, 7 January 2008, Kathleen Facklemann
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-01-07-curry-cover_x.htm
National Awarness Days, "Hurry and get your curry during National Curry Week", http://www.national-awareness-days.com/, 2013
http://www.national-awareness-days.com/national-curry-week.html
Curry Circle, "Types of Curry.", currycircle.com
http://currycircle.com/curry-types.html
Mood Food Magazine, "The Origins of 'Curry' (Is it really English?)', http://www.menumagazine.co.uk/book/book.html, 2008, Peter Grove, Colleen Grove et al