What is curry powder? (Part 1)
We get this question all the time, what is curry powder? Actually, “Curry Powder” doesn’t refer to a specific powder in Indian Cooking. Indian curries and dals all use different spices, in different proportions, to complement the ingredients inside. In a cauliflower curry for instance, the amount of turmeric is much more than in a tandoori chicken curry. But standard “Curry powder” can be used to imitate the average taste, and get a good tasting curry each time, although not completely authentic. Authentic is also much harder to pinpoint because different curries are made in different ways across India. In the south of India, people tend to use more tamarind for cooking, whereas in the north, Kokum is preferred for adding the sour zing flavour.
Just to further confuse beginner cooks, India also grows a Curry Plant, for it’s “Curry Leaves”. These are also used to add flavour to Indian cooking, but have nothing to do with curry powder.
We at Regency have already developed a true to taste Tandoori Masala recipe. It’s the precise, perfect blend for all Tandoori dishes. But what about the non-Tandoori masala dishes?
Here, we’ve decided to slowly start introducing a range of different curry powders, suitable for each region’s food, starting with our own home-state: Gujarat. Gujarati curries and dals are characterised by more sweetness, ample spice and are also relatively dry compared to some other states’ curries. We rarely use cream, or milk for curries (we use them a lot elsewhere!) so the flavour from the spices come through much stronger. This is because of the lack of a liquid base. For new taste buds, we suggest using this “Mild” curry mix, as opposed to other curry powders which may be overwhelmingly spicy, and not as equally balanced in flavours. Introducing the Regency Gujarati Curry Powder.
Our first concoction, the Gujarati curry powder, is the basic blend of all the spices to make gujarati curries. It includes: Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds, Black Mustard Seeds, Turmeric, Kashmiri Chillies, Fenugreek Seeds, Garam Masala spices and Asafoetida. Cauliflower curry, potato curry, french bean curry, spinach and corn, and even some simple paneers work too. Most of Gujarat is vegetarian, hence this curry powder works marvels on nearly all vegetables. It brings out their flavour and moulds it into that tell-tale Indian fragrance and deep, careful spice.
This curry powder is also relatively mild compared to Regency’s other upcoming curry blends. It’s full flavoured, but less spicy, and so the perfect place to begin with Indian cooking. Cooking with Curry Powder is much simpler than cooking with individual spices. By using the right curry powder for the right item, you don’t need to worry about making customized blends for each dish. Just add the Curry Powder at the beginning of the cooking process with a little bit of oil. Fry for 20-30 seconds, and then add the rest of your curry ingredients. Using the curry powder right at the beginning ensures even flavour, and lets the spices fully infuse into the curry.
