On Mon 13 Feb 2006 09:34:07p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Lisa Ann?

> After looking at modom's picture of dinner and reading his post, I
> realized that I truly have no idea what "a curry" is.
>
> I know you can get curry powders, in different degrees of hotness or
> spiciness.
>
> But is curry the entire dish? (i.e., curried chicken). Is it the sauce?
> (Because his opening statement of "that's a curry with chicken chunks"
> is what led to these questions.)
>
> For some reason, until I started lurking here, I always thought curry
> was a way of preparing rice - I have no idea where I got that idea.
>
> I also realized that, except for the okra, I think I would have enjoyed
> that meal, modom!
>
> But what is "a curry"?
>
> And if it's simply "food cooked with curry seasonings", please just
> laugh hysterically at me and carry on.

I'm sure others will give more elaborate explanations but, basically, "a
curry" is defined by the seasonings used to flavor it. There are many
types of curry and many of those share common ingredients. A curry may be
vegetarian, fish, seafood, poultry, meat, etc. As you mentioned, it is
mainly "the sauce". The elaborateness of a curry is sometimes defined by
the number of accompaniments or garnishes served with it. In India, I
believe, they are described as, for example, a "twelve boy curry", meaning
there would be twelve garnishes served with it. Originally, each side dish
was served by a different "boy" server. The more "boys" it is served with,
the more elaborate. Sauces may be based on broth, cream, coconut milk, or
other liquids or combinations. In countries of origin, there are probably
as many different curry mixtures as there are households. Each family may
have an assortment of "signature" curries that they make. I believe that
commercial "curry powder" came about with the British colonization of
India, in an effort to simplify preparation and bring curry to the masses.

HTH

--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA