eating out by brad hart
the
wide
world
ofCurry
what is curry?
Curry is one of those words like salsa; it means
different things to different people. At its most
basic, curry refers to a spicy dish of vegetables
or meat served with rice. Taken from the Indian
word kari, meaning a spiced, soup-like sauce, the
term was assimilated into the English language
with some minor mistranslation by Europeans.
In India, there are a wide variety of these spicy
and sauce based dishes, all with distinguishing
characteristics and flavor. Early travelers mistook
all such dishes to be included within the term,
and so the word became an English reference to
this, eventually becoming a terminology mistake
so widespread that it currently shows no signs
of correction. In actuality, though it appears on
countless Western restaurant menus and pack-
aged “Indian” products, the term “curry” is not
used in any of the languages of India.
types of curry
Today, the main types of curry you might encounter in an Indian or Thai restaurant are red, yellow, and
green curry. Along with several other distinctive spices, Red curry is made with red chilies, while green curry
is made with green chilies. Gaeng khieo wan, a traditional Thai green curry, is possibly the spiciest of Thai
curries; Yellow curry is made mostly with turmeric (giving it it’s distinctive color) and cumin, though it may
include hot peppers or pepper flakes as well. Curry dishes can now be found all over the world, with regional
variations in many countries including Sri Lanka, South Africa, Japan, the United States, China, the Carib-
bean and Bangladesh, to name just a few. Curry is one of those wonderful foods that adapts everywhere it
goes, making it a dish loved the world over.
health benefits of curry
While curry might be great for tantalizing your taste buds, did you know that there are also many health
benefits to this zesty mix of spices? Among them is the aid of reducing inflammation of the joints. And it’s
not only arthritis that it may be helpful for. Other studies suggest that the powerful spices in curry may
also help protect us against cancer, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease. Since curry is a combina-
tion of many elements there are numerous health rewards that might be had by eating the flavorful dish.
Each spice has it’s own benefits and combining them can make for a powerful health boost as well as a
delicious meal.
68 RAGE monthly | MARCH 2009
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