In its countless forms, the humble curry is eaten by hundreds – if not thousands – of millions every day. Relatively few call it curry, however. The word itself is thought to originate from the Tamil word kari, meaning a sauce comprising meat and/or vegetables cooked with spices. While it is synonymous with Indian and Thai food in particular, its derivatives are regarded as native dishes to peoples around the world.
It helps that this aromatic blend, based on onions, ginger and (usually) garlic, augmented by a mix of herbs, roots and seeds, brings the perfect lift to the basic carbs that traditionally dominate most diets. Its sauce melds perfectly with rice; if bread is your staple, you can dunk your naan, chapati, dosa or puri – or even encase…
