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What is the secret to a great curry?

By Madhuparna Panigrahi

MUMBAI, INDIA - OCTOBER 07: Fiery Saoji Chicken Curry, named after the Saoji community in Nagpur, prepared by Chef De Cuisine Dinesh Joshi at the Lost Recipes of Maharashtra Food Festival at Tiqri at Taj Santacruz on October 7, 2017 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Rubina A. Khan/Getty Images)
MUMBAI, INDIA - OCTOBER 07: Fiery Saoji Chicken Curry, named after the Saoji community in Nagpur, prepared by Chef De Cuisine Dinesh Joshi at the Lost Recipes of Maharashtra Food Festival at Tiqri at Taj Santacruz on October 7, 2017 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Rubina A. Khan/Getty Images) /
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A curry is nothing but a dense, saucy gravy with complex flavors that is driven by three main components – a base, a mix of spices, and a tempering. Though curry is often associated with South Asian, especially Indian cuisine, the concept is prevalent across other Asian nations. In Thai, Burmese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and many African cuisines, curries make for an important part of a meal, if not integral.

curry
ANJUNA, GOA, INDIA – 2013/12/18: Many different goods like typical Indian spices and curries are presented in bags for sale at the weekly flea-market. (Photo by Frank Bienewald/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

The ingredients in each of these components can vary across regions, cuisines, and the dish that you are aiming to make. For example, a traditional Indian curry base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger/garlic (to taste), or even yogurt, while in Thai cuisine it is usually coconut, shallots, and/or shrimp paste. Similarly, Thai or Burmese curries won’t use curry leaves or mustard seeds, just like Indian curries will not use fish sauce or lemongrass.

So, what makes it perfect ? There’s no one right answer to this. The idea of a good curry is to ensure the right combination and quantity of ingredients and then use your culinary skills to improvise and get the layer of flavors that you like. That being said, there are definitely a few dos and don’ts that you need to keep in mind when making a curry.

Tips for a great curry

Cook the base well before adding the spices: For example, if you are making a standard Indian-style base, it’s important to sauté the onions, tomatoes, and garlic/ginger well enough so they release the oil before you add the other spices. The same rule applies to other Southeast Asian curries as well. Whether it’s shrimp paste or shallots, letting them sizzle enough will release more aroma in the final dish.

curry
DUNGUN, MALAYSIA – 2013/05/23: . (Photo by Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

Don’t overdo the tempering: In many Indian curries, a tempering (aka tadka) is added at the end to finish off the dish. While the recommendation is to let the oil smoke and add whole spices (like whole cumin and dry red chili, curry leaf, etc.), you also don’t want it to turn black. This will add a bitter smell and taste to the dish.

Decide the consistency: The consistency of a curry will depend on what you are serving on the side. If you are serving with bread, then the thickness should be about that of a thick sauce that sticks easily to the bread. But if you are serving it with rice, then it needs to be a little runny.

You can even make your own curry powder or pastes, using your favorite spices, and control the proportions to your taste!