Falling in Love with Curry

                                           Red prawn curry had me at "hello"

Curry has cast a spell on me.  Even the word curry gives me goosebumps and makes my heart skip a beat.  Regardless of if it’s Malaysian, Thai, or Indian, curry has me head over heels.   A few years ago I even flew to Malaysia just to take a curry cooking class from one of the country’s most famous cooking teachers.   I am currently in Vietnam where some type of curry is on every menu.  I'm almost giddy. 

While I’ve  always known that curry was a blend of seductive spices and herbs, I didn’t know until my class in Malaysia that an authentic curry is made lovingly from all fresh ingredients (no powders of any kind).   Prior to the class the teacher took us to the local market where we procured a bounty of all the ingredients for several different types of curry.  The smells alone of the raw ingredients were intoxicating.

                                Green veggie curry made the strings of my heart sing

Some of the components I knew (such as fresh ginger, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chiles, tamarind, palm sugar, shrimp paste, cilantro, fish sauce, cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg, and fresh bay leaves).  Others I had heard of but never used (fresh kaffir lime leaves, fresh turmeric and its leaves, coriander root, fresh fenugreek, as well as fresh coconut milk).  Then, there were components I had never seen or heard of such as aromatic galangal (a member of the ginger family).    

We made many different types of curry from the above ingredients.  One was Panang curry (named after the city in which the cooking class was taught, this is a red curry similar to a red Thai curry).  Another was a milder green curry (flavored with lots of cumin and turmeric, with additions of cinnamon and nutmeg).   Meat was used in a few, poultry in another, and vegetables in yet another.   All were labor intensive labors-of-love…all were cooked on outside stoves in 90+ degrees with 90+ humidity.  In spite of the difficult conditions, I haven't been able to stop thinking of the seductive flavors of these curries.

My love for curry is unconditional and eternal.   Happy Valentine’s Day!

Curry 101

      Curry is a complex melange of ingredients  that vary by geographical region.

My husband and I are soon heading to Singapore and Malaysia prior to joining our group of Wine-Knows in Vietnam for a two week tour.  We’re going a week early to take cooking classes on Penang Island.  But, not just any cooking class.  This one comes very highly recommended by one of our clients who has returned twice.  I am told that this curry class is the bomb.

Curry is a complex combination of several spices and herbs that vary from country to country. Archaeological evidence, dating back to 2600 BC, indicates that it probably originated in India.  Nonetheless, curry has spread to all neighboring countries of India (e.g. Pakistan, Nepal) and is now a traditional dish of all the Southeast Asia nations.  Even China utilizes curry, as does the Philippines.  Trade routes also took curry to Africa where it still plays a huge role in many African nation’s cuisines.

All curries are known for their special aromatic qualities.  Most of them contain coriander, cumin and turmeric as base ingredients.  Depending on the country (and even the geographical region within the same country), the following are examples of possibilities that can appear in varying proportions and combinations:   ginger, star anise, fenugreek, garlic, lemon grass, galangal (a cousin of ginger), kaffir lime, mustard, fennel, cinnamon, tamarind, pepper, and chiles.

Curry seasonings are used to flavor a variety of dishes.  Often used in meat dishes, curry can also be used with poultry, fish and even vegetable dishes.  It can appear in appetizers, as well as the entree, side dishes, and even on occasion, in desserts.

Curry was so loved by the British Colonial government in India during the 18^th century, that Indian merchants decided to make it commercially for sale.  A powdered form of this mélange of enticing spices and herbs was very popular with Brits who took buckets of it with them when they returned to England.  Curry powder is now probably available in every large supermarket throughout the world.

Stay tuned for recipes from our cooking class in Malaysia and best wines for pairing with curry dishes.