What Is Curry?
Curry is a term used throughout the western world for many dishes, particularly Asian, that are simmered in or covered with a sauce that is full of spices and herbs. Three spices found in most curry powders are turmeric, coriander, and cumin, although there is no one specific spice mix or combination that defines "curry." The word "curry" is analogous to "soup" or "stew" in that there is no particular ingredient that makes something a "curry."

Curry's popularity in recent decades has spread outward from the Indian Subcontinent to figure prominently in international cuisine. Consequently, each culture has adopted spices in its indigenous cooking to suit its own unique tastes and cultural sensibilities. Curry can therefore be called a pan-Asian or global phenomenon with immense popularity in Thai, Australian, British, Japanese and Jamaican cuisines.

How Curries Vary By Region

Indian
These curries are made with a number of toasted and ground spices (called masala) that vary by family, generation, and region. Some spices that are traditionally involved include cumin, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, cardamom, mustard, fennel, and ginger. Indian curry dishes also vary by region.

Thai
More soup-like than their thicker Indian cousins, these curries are made from a paste of grounded chillies, then added to aromatics (like galangal, lemon grass, lime leaves, and garlic) and coconut milk or water. The coconut milk-based curries are less spicy than the water-based ones since the milk calms the tongue. They are often described by colour—yellows, for example, are full of turmeric and cumin while reds and greens are dominated by red and green chilis. As with other regional curries, the sauce covers a combination of meats and vegetables.

Chinese
Often made with soy sauce, coconut milk, and a bunch of spices, this mildly spicy (and usually yellow) curry tops meats, veggies, steamed rice, or noodles.

Japanese
Curry is huge in Japanese cuisine. The standard contains: onions, carrots, potatoes, sometimes celery, and a token meat (often pork) that's cooked in a large pot.