Indian is a great cuisine to be able to tackle at home; it’s varied, flavoursome, and extremely nourishing. There are hundreds of different styles of curries and side dishes, many options for those with differing dietary requirements, and more flavours than you could ever imagine! Curries can be simple or complicated, they can be made quickly for a family dinner or slow-cooked throughout the day for a feast. There are a few key steps to remember when it comes to making a curry, but the best part is that you have the freedom to play around with flavours and ingredients to cater to personal preferences. Curries can be hot, mild, made with lots of sauce or quite dry.
So, what are the most important steps to remember when it comes to making an authentic Indian curry?
Build a flavour foundation
Curries always start with the spices, which usually come in the form of a curry powder or paste. Whether you purchase a readymade paste or create your own, most will include cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and cardamom – to name a few! Start by choosing or building a curry powder, and then decide how spicy or mild you want your curry. To add chilli, you can use powder, paste, chilli sauce or a whole chilli or two; just make sure you know how hot you can handle it.
Build a deep flavour
The three core ingredients of almost any Indian curry are garlic, onion and ginger. There are a few styles of curries that don’t use garlic to ensure subtle flavour isn’t overwhelmed, but it’s a good rule of thumb that those three ingredients are likely to be included. It’s best to use fresh versions of each of these ingredients, and they will then start off your cooking alongside some oil (ghee is great, olive oil also works). Pop them in the pan and sauté until the onion is translucent, and your kitchen is fragrant. Then add the curry powder and start building on the body of your curry.
Decide on the body and sauce
Each curry will have a base ingredient; whether it’s a type of meat, a group of vegetables, fish, or seafood. This goes in the pan next, and is sealed or cooked for a few minutes with the onion, garlic, ginger and curry powder. Then, depending on what kind of curry you want to cook, you create the sauce. If you want something mild you might go for a korma or butter chicken, which you would use ingredients like yoghurt, cream and tomato puree for. Madras, rogan josh and vindaloo are more tomato based, and curries like vindaloo require lots of spice and chilli paste.
And there you have it, the three major steps to creating a delicious authentic curry! Don’t forget to use fresh ingredients, and think about cooking with leftover meats; it can create a delicious and unique flavour. Or, if you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own beautiful curry, why not head out for Indian food in Perth? Royal India in West Perth have anextensive menuto dine in and takeaway.
FAQs
Build a deep flavour
The three core ingredients of almost any Indian curry are garlic, onion and ginger.
What makes Indian curry taste authentic? ›
The traditional method of using spices in curries is to make a 'tarka', or pan fry spices in oil. The heat releases the flavors and infuses them in the oil, which is then poured over the main ingredients. This process also mellows out some of the harsh tones of raw spice mixes.
What is the secret ingredient for curry? ›
Whether you may be familiar with the differences between curries from various countries, such as Indian versus Japanese curry, and perhaps even know how to make them at home, there's a special flavor enhancer that you may not have thought to add: honey.
How do you make curry taste more authentic? ›
The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.
How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›
The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.
What spices do Indians use for curry? ›
Cumin, coriander and turmeric figure highly in most curry powders. Sure. But there are a few others mixed in. And those trace elements all add a little something.
Does cooking curry longer make it taste better? ›
Let it cook for as long as possible. Simmering a curry allows time for the flavours to infuse; a long, slow simmering time generally produces the best curry. Flavours will continue to infuse even when the curry is taken off the heat, so do allow time for the curry to “rest” and cool down before serving.
Do you put sugar in curry? ›
A curry can be sweetened by adding honey, syrup, or sugar. These ingredients add flavour and balance to a sour or bitter curry. Add around one tablespoon of either ingredient to your curry while cooking and taste. Continue to slowly add syrup, honey, or sugar to the dish until a sweet flavour is achieved.
What brings out the Flavour of curry? ›
You need to have a combination of masalas/spices to bring out the curry flavour. Say if you are cooking chicken curry - the dry ingredients I use is chilli powder/coriander powder/cumin powder/curry powder and a dash of garam masala.
What is the most important ingredient in curry? ›
The most common ingredient in curry dishes is garlic. Onion, cilantro, tomatoes, vegetable oil, fresh ginger root, white sugar, coconut milk and chicken stock are also common ingredients in curry recipes. For herbs and spices, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper are popular.
But when they did use it, they immediately got it. Asafoetida is the most simultaneously misunderstood and sublime ingredient in Indian cuisine. It is essentially a gum resin extracted from ferula, an herb in the celery family.
What is the secret to a great curry? ›
Tips for the Perfect Curry
- Use fresh spices. For the best results, always try to use fresh spices. ...
- Give the spices a toast. ...
- Wrap up your whole spices. ...
- Blitz your tomatoes. ...
- Onions are the key. ...
- Don't overcook your chicken. ...
- Keep your garlic and ginger fresh. ...
- Add exciting toppings.
Add some sweet substance whether it may be sugar or jaggery or honey etc . How do I get rid of the bitter taste in fish curry? To reduce the bitter taste in fish curry, you can try a few methods. Adding a bit of sweetness, like a pinch of sugar or a splash of coconut milk, can balance the flavors.
What's missing from my curry? ›
The answer is definitely a lack of salt. Particularly if you're new to cooking or new to cooking dishes like curries and stews, you might not be accustomed to the amount of salt you need to add to your food to bring out the flavor of the dish.
How do Indian restaurants thicken curry? ›
Coconut Milk/ Cream
Coconut is a great ingredient used for thickening curries. It can be used in any form – milk, cream or grated. This method is most suited for Thai, South Indian and other Asian curries.
What are the most important ingredients in curry? ›
The most common ingredient in curry dishes is garlic. Onion, cilantro, tomatoes, vegetable oil, fresh ginger root, white sugar, coconut milk and chicken stock are also common ingredients in curry recipes. For herbs and spices, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper are popular.
What sweetener to use for Indian curry? ›
Go Cook With Jaggery, the Essential Sweetener of India.
