What is curry powder and does all Indian food contain it?

Answer 1

Funny thing, Indian people dont use curry powder!

This is purely a British concoction. Indian food contains many spices & masalas (spice mixtures), they vary upon region and even the individual! Most Indian food does contain some spices in the form of powdered spices (like ground cumin) or whole spices (or cumin seeds), sometimes both versions.

When an Indian makes homemade curry from scratch, they toast & grind the spices that they will use for that particular curry.
Nobody uses a "generic" curry powder. There are specific spice mixtures for specific dishes: tandoori, tikka masala, korma, vindaloos...

Most common spice mixtures for daily use (depending on the region of India): garam masala, kala masala, sambhar powder, rasam powder, panch phoran...

It is wrong to assume all Indian food is "hot" (spicy), some dishes are mild but you can say they are all flavorful! Nowadays,
all the spices & spice mixtures are available in your local Indian grocery store.

Commercial generic curry powders differ widely depending on their ingredients, best to read the back. But using generic curry powder will also give your food a generic curry taste!

Happy eating!!

Answer 2

As our friend Sanjiv Singh is so fond of saying, "Curry is not a thing, it is a state of being". In particular, it is not a powder. A Curry does not necessarily contain curry powder. Curry powder is in fact a blend of spices, varying according to regional preferences or traditions. As a result, there are literally thousands of "curry powders", each of which was uniquely suited for the produce and tastes of the region it developed in.
Indians tend to use garam masala (another type of curry powder, of which there are also many incantations) the way people in the west use curry powder. An exception is in the south they have developed a mixture called "sambhar powder" that is quite different from garam masala.

Actually, the word curry is derived from the south Indian word curriel, which was used in the local language (Tamil) for a fish stew that had tamarind and curry leaves (which is where these leaves also get their name even in local languages). This was then picked up and transformed into the present "curry" by the British. The word "curry", in its English sense, has no direct translation into any to India's fifteen languages, and Indians do not use the term even when speaking English.

And no Not all Indian food contains curry. But alot of it does!

hope this helps
Feta Forest

Answer 3

What Does Curry Powder Contain

Answer 4

‘Curry’ is synonymous with Indian food and ‘curry powder’ is thought of as its key ingredient. This is a misconception though, as all Indian food does not contain 'curry powder'. This all-important powder is actually a mix of spices collectively known as garam masala. It is added to some dishes along with other spices to enhance their flavor and aroma. While the basic ingredients used are the same, each household has its own proportions so that the end result will often differ from home to home. The better the quality of the ingredients, the tastier the garam masala and the resulting dish in which it is used.
Most Indians still prefer to prepare their own garam masala just prior to cooking. Making your own can seem intimidating if you’re just starting out with Indian cooking, but the recipe and a good coffee grinder is all it takes! There’s nothing to beat the flavor of fresh garam masala!

Answer 5

Curry powder is a mixture of spices of widely varying composition developed by the British during their colonial rule of India as a means of approximating the taste of Indian cuisine at home.

"Curry powder" is thus an English invention, where it is still popular, in contrast to India, where it is (practically) unknown. Indian cooks have much more specific mixtures of spices, depending on what they are cooking, while the English just make everything with the same spice mix.

Most recipes and producers of curry powder usually include coriander, turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek in their blends. Depending on the recipe, additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, fennel seed, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, nutmeg, red pepper, cinnamon and black pepper may also be added.

It is also the name given to a different mixture of spices that include curry leaves, which is used in South and Eastern Indian cuisine.

and no not all Indian food contains it

Answer 6

Curry powder is a type of a mix of different spices and is not in all Indian foods..Indian foods usually use different combinations of masalas--spices--differnet food preparations call for different combinations of spices--if you put a generic curry powder mix in your food they will all taste the same--Each dish uses different spices..Usually, those who prepare Indian food mix their spices individually each time for each new dish...(you can also use pre-made mixes--but again--these wind up tasting generic)

Answer 7

No not all indian foods cintain curry powder.

Answer 8

curry powder is used to make curry (lentil soup) therefore, no its not used in ALL india foods however, if u want some extra zing to ur food its great to add to veggies....

Answer 9

Yes and its a combination of spices: cumin,anise,cinnamon,coriander and others