Whenever you want to taste one of the most unique dishes in the world near you, then you should definitely try Indian food in Pickering to have the best experience possible. As you know, Indian cuisine combines various spices and flavours to add a unique touch to every dish. You may know that one of the most famous spices in India is curry powder.

Let’s dive into some points to see why curry has an essential role in Indian cuisine.

Curry Is a Mixture of Various Spices

Curry powder is a mixture of different spices, including chilli pepper, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic, etc. The term ‘curry’ is used in the West to refer to a variety of Indian curries made with diverse spice combinations. The word ‘curry’ comes from the Tamil word ‘Kari,’ which means ‘sauce.’

Curry powder is a broader blend word that refers to a variety of spices. The powder contains an average of 13 distinct ingredients, while in some variations, this number can go up to 36. And it’s different depending on the region and the dish for which you use the powder.

The powder not only adds a unique flavour to dishes but it’s also very beneficial for health, including the heart, bone health, and more.

Indians Don’t Use The Term ‘Curry’

As ‘curry’ was created by the British to refer to all Indian dishes, Indians don’t use this term. In India, the word curry describes a ‘gravy’ or ‘sauce.’ Distinct adjectives suggesting the presence of sauce, such as masala, salaan, and jhol, are used to identify different types of curries.

Curry Differs Among Regions

Curry leaves from the tree (Murraya koenigii) are native to India. Indian cooks carefully adjust the amount of each spice, fry them to bring out the maximum flavour, and the meal will vary based on a recipe that has been passed down through generations in their family. Thus, its taste is different from place to place depending on ingredient availability, and the cultural and religious preferences of the people living in that particular region.

Today, you may find many varieties of curries all over India, as well as in many other countries such as Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The most common spices in curry sauces are the following:

• Turmeric
• Chillies
• Coriander
• Ginger
• Cumin

Other spices that can be included in curry are cardamom, cinnamon sticks, mustard and fenugreek seeds, saffron, cloves, etc.

Why Do Indians Use Spices?

For a variety of reasons, Indian curries need a lot of spice:

• Bacteria ruin food more quickly in hotter climates (like in India), and spices have antibacterial features that let them kill up to 75% of bacteria in food (chili, other hot peppers), preventing food from spoiling.
• Spices can also be rich in antioxidants and add a variety of flavours to a dish.
  Allspice, onion, garlic, and oregano are the best bacteria killers.
• Cinnamon, cumin, etc. can kill up to 80% of bacteria in food.
• Ginger, celery and anise seeds, lemon juice kill up 25% of bacteria in food.
• Spices add the aroma, colour, and overall flavour to the dish.
• Some spices like turmeric that contain curcumin have anti-inflammatory effects, fighting against arthritis.
• Turmeric also protects against heart diseases and may prevent cancer.
• Curry powder is beneficial for heart, bone health and can prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
• Northern Indian, Western Indian, Eastern Indian, and Southern Indian cuisines are diverse forms of gastronomy in India. India has 40 to 50 different chilli kinds that grow well in hot environments. And people eat food that grows locally, thus you’ll get a sense of the cultural history of each location by tasting its food, and, by that, you’ll understand which crop grows in the area.

Famous Indian Curry Dishes

There are many varieties of curry dishes as you’ve learned above. Many of the Indian curries are known across the world. Indians have the famous chicken tikka masala, vindaloo, and variants that lead to the creation of the great butter chicken. Some famous curry dishes are:

• Butter Chicken
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Korma
• Chicken Biryani
• Chicken Vindaloo
• Chicken Coconut Curry

What draws so many people to taste Indian dishes and be in love with Indian cuisine? Maybe the various spices, unique flavour palate, or different ingredients? The uniqueness of Indian cuisine is not limited to Indians; millions of people around the world enjoy it on a daily basis. So, what makes Indian cuisine so unique? Indian cuisine is delicious, nutritious, and always includes the best and healthiest spices.

While each dish varies from place to place, a typical Indian dish has various spices, each with its own distinct flavour. Indian cuisine blends ingredients that have different aromas and colours. And curry, as a mixture of various spices, has an essential role in Indian cuisine.

Cooks of Milanu’s Tandoori Grill prepare Indian dishes with various mixtures of house blend spices and curry powder, ensuring the incredible taste of each dish.