Curry
Curry is global: one sauce to rule them all. But it isn’t just one sauce. Curry has shifted into so many shapes that a definition is almost impossible to pin down. Maybe that’s okay, as long as we understand some history.
In the most general sense, curry is a style of food made from a mixture of pungent spices.
The story begins in India. Ginger, garlic, shallots, and turmeric have flavored Indian stews for thousands of years. The same is true for mustard, fennel, cumin, black pepper, and tamarind. Then the Portuguese introduced New World chili peppers in the sixteenth century.
The rest of the story goes like this: the British colonize India. They discover flavor. They poach regionally-specific stews and ragouts and hybridize them. They bring Anglo-Indian cuisine back to England. Then they take it everywhere.
Japanese kare raisu is a delightful mashup. The British introduced it, so the Japanese consider it western. Why not thicken it with a French roux? Sweeten it with honey and fruit, add nuts? Japan has since mastered the packaged version. Take a look at the back of the box sometime: the ingredient list is wild.
Thai curry is a parallel story. India remains as the source of key aromatics. Fermented fish pastes arrive from China. The Columbian Exchange brings chilis. Thai chefs incorporate fresh herbs like basil and cilantro, aromatics like lemongrass and galangal, along with citrus and coconut milk. The result is light, sweet, creamy, and spicy.
So what is curry? The word curry is a British invention. So is curry powder. Fundamentally, curry is a problematic projection, given its inextricable association with an extractive colonial history.
It’s also a hook to pull common threads. If vindaloo and panang are curries, what about Mexican mole? Or Jamaican jerk chicken? Are these foods united by a common flavor experience? They all use foundational techniques to elevate similar ingredients: toasting and blooming spices in fat, complimenting umami-rich foods with pungent aromatics, and balancing with sugar and acidity.
We’re glad you’re cooking with us.
Cheers,
Sten and Mac
Chef Snacks
Cooking Tip
Shrimp are done when they turn pink. There’s a protein that breaks down when heated, like a natural doneness indicator, and releases that lovely sunset-orange color. Shrimp cook quickly. Look for two things: one, the color change, and two, the tail curling up. Hit them with medium high heat to get a nice sear, no more than a few minutes. When you see these indicators, turn off the heat. Keep in mind, things continue cooking after you take them off the heat.
Around the Sound
Do you enjoy dance? What about cookies? If you enjoy dance AND cookies, consider heading to NOD Theater in Seattle’s Capitol Hill this weekend for an evening of modern dance and community. Aster Pantry is donating miso rye chocolate cookies for sale at the performance.
Showtimes: June 20 & 21 at 7:30 PM / June 22 at 6:30 PM. Tickets
