When the Curry dish is mentioned, for those who have not tried it, only one association comes to mind: Indian spices, a lot of Indian spices.
Moreover, they call it both a ready-made dish and a mixture of spices for its preparation. Below we will look at "Curry" and learn how to cook it in home cooking. Why not? A little exotic does not hurt, and spices perfectly affect both digestion and metabolism.
A bit of history
This dish, incomprehensible and multifaceted, appeared a very long time ago. Moreover, depending on the points of the world where it is served, the composition of products and spices may vary.
The very word "curry" in translation from the language spoken by the inhabitants of the south of ancient India, means "sauce." In parallel with this, the opinion that "Curry" got its name thanks to the bush of the same name, whose leaves the inhabitants of India dried and consumed, became widespread. Merchants from Britain, who were doing business with India, immediately got confused in all the varieties and wisdom of the cuisine of this state and to facilitate the perception called "curry" any dish that included vegetables, poultry or shellfish and the following spices:
- ginger;
- caraway;
- bow;
- garlic;
- turmeric;
- coriander.
Over time, history has changed, the influence of peoples on each other has changed. At that time, when the followers of Islam came from the West, whose meat was the basis of the diet, the recipe also changed. Later, Carri was enriched with cloves from Asia, and thanks to the Portuguese, it acquired chili peppers.
Human history, its fluctuations and changes can be easily traced by the fact that people ate at one time or another, amusing, is not it? However, the first dish, "Curry", according to experts, appeared about 2500 BC. Thus, this food can rightfully be considered one of the oldest.
Curry in a modern kitchen
Despite its age, “Curry” does not lose popularity. It is believed that this dish got into civilized Europe thanks to the UK, whose colonies were located in India. It was not always prepared as it should and is true, but the fact remains - Curry is served in almost all English establishments.
However, according to experts, it is not worth relying on authenticity in such establishments, as spices are capricious and do not like haste. The best choice for those who want to immerse themselves in the heady atmosphere of India - thematic institutions, preferably those that are supported by families from generation to generation. Also, the Curry dish was permanently registered in the portfolio of famous chefs, as it is flexible and allows you to adjust to your tastes, it easily transfers new combinations of products and processing methods.
Spice
Now in any supermarket you can buy a bag with the inscription "Curry". This is a ready-made crushed mixture, which should immediately be put to use. However, such “cocktails” of spices are a double-edged sword, since in most cases the most unsuccessful samples are poured into such bags, in the hope that together they form a more or less acceptable taste. For those who are not looking for easy ways, we recommend getting a marble mortar and:
- dried chili in flakes or slices;
- turmeric;
- cumin grains;
- cardamom grains;
- coriander grains.
Also optionally, depending on preferences and possibilities, you can add to the Curry dish and the mixture for it:
- black pepper;
- whole cloves;
- dried ginger slices;
- dried garlic;
- nutmeg;
- curry leaves.
Mix everything, thoroughly grind in a mortar and use as directed.
Chicken Curry
There is enough theory, it's time to come to practice, as everyone has already managed to get hungry. So, "Curry" (the dish). The recipe for it was provided to us by a famous British cook, public figure and just a good person, Jamie Oliver. Yes, it’s harder to cook than pasta with sausages, but believe me, it’s deliciously delicious. We will need:
- skinless bones of chicken breasts - 500 grams;
- peeled tomatoes - 1 kilogram;
- onions - 300 grams;
- ginger root - a slice of 3 cm;
- coconut milk - 1 can;
- odorless vegetable oil - 70 ml;
- fresh hot pepper - 2 pods;
- mustard seeds - 1 tbsp. the spoon;
- turmeric - 2 teaspoons;
- curry leaves - a pinch (if possible, skip if necessary);
- fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp. the spoon;
- cilantro - a bunch of medium size;
- salt to taste.
Step by step
Follow the instructions below to make Curry, a dish whose photo salivates.
- Place a thick-walled pan on medium heat. Pour oil into it, wait until it heats up.
- Throw mustard seeds into the oil, and after 5-7 seconds - fenugreek seeds. As soon as the mass begins to "crack" - throw curry leaves.
- In parallel, wash fresh hot peppers, free from seeds and cut into thin half rings. Throw in a pan to oil and spices.
- Grate the ginger and toss to the pepper with spices. Do not forget to interfere!
- Peel and chop the onion. You can do this in a blender or combine. Throw the onion mass into a pan, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining dry seasoning to the pan.
- Grind the tomatoes so that small textured pieces remain. Throw in the same pan and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Add 200 ml of pure water and all coconut milk to the prepared dish. Boil for 7-8 minutes. That's it, the universal curry sauce (dish) is ready!
- Separate the chicken into small pieces separately, fry it in vegetable oil until it is covered with a golden crust.
- Put the chicken in the sauce and cook another third of the hour on low heat. Serve with boiled rice, previously sprinkled with chopped cilantro.
Curry for Vegetarians
This dish can be considered ideal for vegetarians, as it is rich in aromas, thick and satisfying. And replacing pieces of meat with vegetables and legumes is not difficult. We will need the following set of products:
- dry chickpeas - 300 grams;
- garlic - 1 clove;
- onion - 1 small head;
- curry leaves - 1/2 tsp;
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- peeled pumpkin - 400 grams;
- tomato paste - 1 teaspoon;
- ground paprika - 1 teaspoon;
- vegetable broth - 1/2 cup;
- garam masala - 1/2 tsp;
- salt to taste.
So, Curry Vegetarian Dish - What Is It? Description of preparation below.
- Soak the chickpeas overnight, then boil it until cooked.
- Heat oil in a thick-walled pan.
- Separately finely chop the onion with garlic, toss in the pan. There are all the spices. Warm for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cut the pumpkin into small cubes, put in a pan and cook again for 5 minutes.
- Throw chickpeas, tomato paste to the pumpkin mixture, pour everything into the broth and mix thoroughly.
- Cook over medium heat for a third of an hour, stirring regularly. Salt to taste in the end. Serve with rice.
Enjoy your meal!