Curry Powder

[Anonymous]

Please tell me about curry powder. Growing up my mom used curry powder for things like dips and dressing but not for cooking. As an adult I learned to use curry paste and considered curry powder to be similar to garlic powder or onion powder -- they have their place but are not like the real thing, similar to boxed mac n cheese vs homemade -- both good but different entirely.

Lately I've seen a lot of cooking shows that used curry powder. I want to make curried potatoes now. What are the different types of curry powders out there and what types of dishes do you use them in? I hate the taste of cumin so I'd love to hear about any combinations that exclude it or at least don't emphasize it. Please be specific -- with your own blends or brands and what you make with it.

TIA!!

[Anonymous]

I'm interested in this as well. I'm Indian-American, and my entire life, no one Indian has ever used "curry powder," as found in the grocery store, in any dish - either here or family in India. I've recently found a number of British Indian recipes, and they all seem to use curry powder. It's really interesting.

[Anonymous]

I usually use a madras curry powder, rather than Jamaican. I’m not sure if storebought curry powder without cumin exists?

[Anonymous]

I use it as a shortcut seasoning when I'm making a quick dinner, want a kick of flavor, but don't want to measure out a bunch of different spices. Penzey's has several different curry powders, I like all of them but you can read the ingredients to see which sound appealing. The sweet curry powder has cumin but I don't think it's a dominant flavor in the blend. Turmeric and ginger seem to be stronger.

I sprinkle it on braised potatoes, steamed cauliflower, lentils, basmati rice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in this as well. I'm Indian-American, and my entire life, no one Indian has ever used "curry powder," as found in the grocery store, in any dish - either here or family in India. I've recently found a number of British Indian recipes, and they all seem to use curry powder. It's really interesting.

After colonization the British mixed the different species that they got used to India and called it curry.

[Anonymous]

I have never seen curry paste in the grocery store and didn’t realize it existed. I’ve only ever used curry powder

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in this as well. I'm Indian-American, and my entire life, no one Indian has ever used "curry powder," as found in the grocery store, in any dish - either here or family in India. I've recently found a number of British Indian recipes, and they all seem to use curry powder. It's really interesting.

After colonization the British mixed the different species that they got used to India and called it curry.

Yeah, that's true. I was just surprised that all these ethnically Indian British chefs have incorporated it into their recipes. I've used it a couple times in some restaurant-style curries and it does work well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never seen curry paste in the grocery store and didn’t realize it existed. I’ve only ever used curry powder

I use and love Thai curry paste (https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/curry-paste-review/ ). I generally dislike Madras curry powder as I find the fenugreek overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in this as well. I'm Indian-American, and my entire life, no one Indian has ever used "curry powder," as found in the grocery store, in any dish - either here or family in India. I've recently found a number of British Indian recipes, and they all seem to use curry powder. It's really interesting.

After colonization the British mixed the different species that they got used to India and called it curry.

Yeah, that's true. I was just surprised that all these ethnically Indian British chefs have incorporated it into their recipes. I've used it a couple times in some restaurant-style curries and it does work well.

It's convenient. And can taste pretty good.

Even had there been no British Raj introducing curry powder to Britain and thus the rest of the world, the Indians would have eventually introduced curry powders as they modernized and busy families don't have time for extensive cooking every day. All cuisines evolve and learn and borrow from others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm interested in this as well. I'm Indian-American, and my entire life, no one Indian has ever used "curry powder," as found in the grocery store, in any dish - either here or family in India. I've recently found a number of British Indian recipes, and they all seem to use curry powder. It's really interesting.

After colonization the British mixed the different species that they got used to India and called it curry.

Yeah, that's true. I was just surprised that all these ethnically Indian British chefs have incorporated it into their recipes. I've used it a couple times in some restaurant-style curries and it does work well.

It's convenient. And can taste pretty good.

Even had there been no British Raj introducing curry powder to Britain and thus the rest of the world, the Indians would have eventually introduced curry powders as they modernized and busy families don't have time for extensive cooking every day. All cuisines evolve and learn and borrow from others.

Indian people use lots of curry powders, distinct from what is at the grocery store, and have for ages. There just isn't a generic "curry" powder and what is sold as that doesn't taste like what is in Indian kitchens. Obviously, Indian cooking is modernizing, and there are multiple Indian-American fusion cookbooks around that are great. I just did not previously know of any Indian person who used "curry" powder. As I said, it worked well when I tried it. It's just an interesting back and forth - British put together some spices and called it curry powder, but Indian people weren't using it, but now Indian British people are using it in their Indian food, along with more traditional Indian spice blends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually use a madras curry powder, rather than Jamaican. I’m not sure if storebought curry powder without cumin exists?

Cumin is the dominant flavor in curry powder, OP! I dislike it too!

That said, as a pp mentioned, thai curry paste is divine. But it's a different flavor profile, obviously.

[Anonymous]

I use this curry paste when I want to kick up the heat in a dish. You’ll find this with the international food area.
https://www.target.com/p/thai-kitchen-premium-authentic-red-curry-paste-4oz/-/A-13349158?sid=1217S&afid=google&TCID=OGS&CPNG=Dry+Grocery&adgroup=212-30

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use this curry paste when I want to kick up the heat in a dish. You’ll find this with the international food area.
https://www.target.com/p/thai-kitchen-premium-authentic-red-curry-paste-4oz/-/A-13349158?sid=1217S&afid=google&TCID=OGS&CPNG=Dry+Grocery&adgroup=212-30

Not the same thing as curry powder, which has its origins in India. I'm Indian and have never cooked with curry powder; I think it's the stuff that's used in things like Singapore noodles.

[Anonymous]

OP, try S&B Golden Curry.
It’s a Japanese curry mix in 3.2 OZ box.
They keep it in Asian section.

[Anonymous]

Curry powder is gross. I would never use it if I had whole spices around. I prefer to blend my own spices and roast and grind it fpr different preparations.