Vegetable stars of vegetarian curry
As a dish, curry most often refers to an Indian or even Thai recipe that has clearly inherited its influence from India.
Indian gastronomy is full of vegetarian dishes, and knows how to cook vegetables in sauce with infinite flavors. For example, curry recipes often include coral lentils, cauliflower, eggplant and spinach, all key vegetables in this cuisine.
Depending on the season, peas and potatoes are also not uncommon.
THE SHORT HISTORY OF CURRY
Let’s start at the beginning, with the term “curry”. At the outset, it may surprise you to know that it does not in any way refer to a blend of spices. It was a concept hijacked by English settlers in India.
In fact, the term “Curry” comes from the old Tamil word “Kari” and refers to Indian stews/sauces.
In India, the term “masala” refers to the curry spice blend.
There are a number of Indian variants of curry, commonly known as “Kala Masala”. These include Kingston Kari from Jamaica and Char Masala from Afghanistan.
And like all blends, curry varies enormously depending on the person preparing it and the ingredients used. For example, coconut or Kaloupilé leaves (a feather-shaped leaf made up of 12 small leaves, also known as “curry leaves”) are sometimes used in southern India.
The difference between Thai curry and Indian curry
We often hear of Thai curry and Indian curry, of which there are many varieties. To differentiate between them, you need to look at the nature of the herbs and spices used: dried and roasted for Indian curries, and very often fresh for Thai curries.
