We've made our cook book club virtual! We may not be able to meet in person and cook for one another, but that doesn't mean we can't create together. Each month we will highlight a different spice or seasoning. Kits will include this spice, a recipe that highlights it, a little history on the spice or recipe, and some best practices. I'll post the recipes and information here as well, so let's get cooking!
A Little Background on Curry
Adapted from TheTakeOut, The Atlantic and the Smithsonian Magazine
Funny thing about curry. It doesn't actually exist in India, at least as it is usually thought of, even as it is often used to describe any food using Indian spices in a sauce. It can be hot, cold, sweet, spicy, stew-like, soup-like, or really anything you can imagine. As stated in TheTakeOut.com, "It can mean any stew made with “Indian” spices, as well as the yellow spice powder (usually a mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin, and fenugreek) used in raisin-studded chicken salads."
The reason this all-encompassing word isn't in India but refers to combinations of Indian spices is quite simply Portuguese colonialism. The original dish, not called curry, is probably closer to around 4,500 years old. Someone from an invading Portuguese army in 1498 saw a native eating and asked what they were eating. The Indian native used one of a couple of words to describe it which are virtually indistinguishable to non-native speakers, the meaning behind which changes depending on which source you ask.
According to TheTakeOut.com, they were either a verb meaning "to blacken," as in grilling, or "to bite," which can be used as a noun substitution for either meat or vegetables. According to The Atlantic, they used either a word referring to a particular spice blend, the finished dish it was used in, or to a specific type of sauce or gravy. In fact, that latter definition is what is the modern definition according to Raghavan Iyer's definition in 660 Curries, "anything that has a sauce or gravy—it can be with or without spices." Whatever the case though, both agree that the term was coined, changed and generalized by Portuguese conquistadores and from there traveled the world taking on slightly different meanings and flavor combinations wherever it went, from Fiji, Japan, Korea and Singapore to South Africa, Jamaica and Guyana and even into various European countries (think Germany's Currywurst or Sweden's Curried Herring).
What is Curry?
Adapted from TheVeganary.com, MyRecipes, and ChefsNotes.com
Curry can be a wide variety of flavor profiles and no two curry mixes are the same, some even having upwards of 20 spices in the mix, although the most frequent four spices found in it are coriander, turmeric, cumin, and red chilies. You will also see fenugreek as a common addition as well. One single definition or one recipe/flavor profile just won't cut it. There are thousands out there.
That being said, curries are often divided into "dry" or "wet" curries, depending on whether they are more soup-like or closer to the sauce in a stir fry, as well as by location and color. I've even heard of the occasional sweet curry.
Best Practices with Curry Powder
Adapted from ChefsNotes.com, SPICEography.com,
As stated previously, there are thousands of curry mixtures out there. If you head to Chef's Notes, they give you a few more common options if you want to try to blend your own. They stay fairly authentic. For some do's and don'ts, I'm taking you to SPICEography.
Do's:
Blend curry powder with a liquid. The liquid allows the flavors of the spice from the powder fully infuse into the dish. Popular options include yogurt, coconut milk or stock.
Simmer dishes with curry powder. Curry powder was not designed for fast-cooking dishes. Curry requires more time to release the spices' flavors into the dish. The only exception would be if you were using it as a dry rub.
Remember to use other powerful flavors as a supporting cast. Curry powder can only go so far on its own. Onion and garlic sweated in ghee, butter or oil before everything else is an important technique when working with curry powder.
Check the ingredient lists and choose the type that's best for you. Many store-bought curry powders use turmeric as a primary spice. While this does create the distinctive yellow color, turmeric isn't known for a vibrant flavor. In fact, turmeric can be fairly bland, as one website called it. If turmeric is further down on the list, chances are it will have a stronger, more aromatic flavor. Also, curry powders originating in different locations might have significantly different flavor profiles. For instance, Indian curries often use more chili pepper and can be spicier while Jamaican curries use a lot more turmeric.
Try making your own. By making your own, you can customize to your own preferences. There are so many varieties out there and many are fairly simple to mix together. Toasting the various spices can bring out additional layers to the flavors as well.
Don'ts:
Go overboard. In curries that don't have as much turmeric, it can be tempting to add more for the color, but doing so might result in something that is hot, bitter, and maybe even inedible. The blander turmeric-heavy combinations also can be something of a problem if you overdo them. It won't necessarily become too hot or bitter, but other undesirable flavors can come out.
Use curry powder in traditional Indian dishes, if you can help it. While it might have some similarities with traditional Indian spice blends like garam masala and can be used as a substitute, it is not ideal Curry powder is distinctly an English invention and is better suited for Anglo-Indian dishes like Mulligatawny soup.
Main Event:
Turkey and Apple Arugula Salad
As adapted from Taste of Home for use by the Brown Deer Library Cook Book Club
Prep/Total Time: 20 min. ● Servings: 6
Ingredients
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Salad:
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large apple, chopped
1 cup green grapes, halved
3 cups fresh arugula or baby spinach
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions
For dressing, whisk together first 6 ingredients.
Place turkey in a large bowl; sprinkle with seasonings and toss to combine. Stir in apple and grapes. Add arugula and mandarin oranges. Drizzle with dressing; toss lightly to combine.
Sprinkle with walnuts and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately
Nutrition Facts
1-1/2 cups: 354 calories, 17g fat (3g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 301mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 3g fiber), 30g protein.
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