Curry enhances and flavors food and benefits health, as supported by studies and hundreds of years of consumption. And it’s easy to do at home, too.
Sometimes curry is only used to awaken the palate and highlight the flavour of the rest of the ingredients, although the most common thing is that it takes all the limelight of the dish and stops being a simple condiment to become a basic ingredient of our dishes.
But this mixture of spices is much more than a culinary resource, because every time we add flavor to a recipe we increase its benefits, reduce the formation of intestinal gas and facilitate the digestion of fats.
Cloves, turmeric, pepper, cumin, or any of the many spices included in curry blends are packed with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or antiseptic molecules that help ward off free radicals, prevent circulatory problems, and improve the effectiveness of the immune system.
MAKING THE CURRY AT HOME IS THE BEST OPTION
In the market we can find curry powder, but it is difficult for it to have the freshness and personality of a good homemade mixture, prepared with love and selected ingredients. In addition, some of the preparations contain salt or flavorings that are not recommended, such as monosodium glutamate.
The important thing is to look for balance and harmony of flavors. And with a little practice we’ll get there.
To prepare a classic curry recipe, the main ingredients are covered in a spiced liquid and cooked, over low heat, until they are impregnated with the aromas.
Any vegetable broth will do as a liquid, but it will be tastier with tomato sauce, coconut or almond milk. To give it more consistency, you can use soy yogurt, nut butter, or some tahini.
Most recipes get better with the hours, so they are ideal to prepare from one day to the next.
Both olive oil and sesame oil are great for cooking curry recipes. It is important to sauté the spices, also over low heat, before incorporating them into the recipe. This is how they release all their fragrance.
Once ground, it is advisable to store the spices in a tightly closed glass container, in a cool, dark place. Pasta is best kept in the fridge.
CHENNAI (MADRAS) CURRY POWDER RECIPE
This curry recipe originates from the city of Chennai in southern India. As with most popular Indian curries, there are multiple variants, this being one of them.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
- 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons black mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 teaspoons fenugreek
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
PREPARATION 5 MINUTES
- In a slightly hot iron or non-stick frying pan, add the coriander kernels and seeds, black mustard, black pepper, cumin and fenugreek, and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- When they exhale, remove them and let them cool.
- Then, grind them in a grinder to a fine powder.
- Add the ginger, chilli and turmeric, and mix well.
FROM INDIA TO THE CARIBBEAN: ENDLESS CURRY VARIETIES
The different blends that are usually used now are the result of the influence of many cultures and countries such as Great Britain, Portugal, Arabia…
But the original formula was born, centuries ago, from Ayurvedic medicine, a holistic treatment system that identifies each flavor with an energy and therapeutic value.
Thanks to the modern science of nutrition, we now know that the combination of some spices, as well as their proportion, is not the result of chance. Thus, when turmeric is mixed with pepper, it improves its absorption and anti-inflammatory power.
In India there are as many varieties of curries as there are families, who preserve these recipes as a valuable legacy. Each region has its own characteristics, from the spiciest in Sri Lanka, with mustard seeds, to the milder and fruitier in the north, where cardamom or anise is used.
However, it is not an ingredient unique to India, as places like Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, or the Caribbean use it liberally in their recipes.
