If you like curry, cooking it yourself is even better than ordering from a restaurant because you will know exactly what went into it. Here are some tips for doing so, and a basic recipe that you can try at the end for chicken curry and rice. (The same masala could be combined with cooked red lentils for dahl if a vegetarian alternative is desired.)
The key to cooking authentic cuisine of any type is to start with the right ingredients. Avoid pre-mixed sauces or spice mixes. “Curry powder” is just one person’s view of what goes into the mix of spices to make a masala. Rather than spending a lot of money for a small jar of “curry powder” that a spice company invented, I recommend buying larger quantities of the relevant spices to make your own. This is both more economical and allows you to customize the mixture to your own personal taste.
Curry powder is basically four ingredients: Turmeric (which is what makes it yellow and is regularly promoted for helping joint health in capsule form); Cumin (the same spice flavor is prevalent and is often used in Texas chili as well as a lot of Mexican cooking, such as fajitas or tacos); Coriander (which, in powder form, is the ground seeds of fresh cilantro – which also is good to consider buying and is much cheaper at your local Indian grocery); and Cayenne (which is also known as chili powder; but this is different than Ancho Chili Powder, which is what you would use in combination with cumin to make Texas chili). For beginners, I recommend buying these in powder form and mixing in the following proportions (adjust the actual amount to the volume of food that you are cooking – an example will be provided at the end): 1 part turmeric, 2 parts cumin, three parts coriander and 1 part cayenne. The resulting mixture will create a yellow curry sauce. For this recipe, let’s assume 1 tsp.
Recommended whole spices: Cumin seeds (same spice as the powder, but not ground); cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods; black cardamom, if you can find it; and bay leaves.
Spices are raw, so it is important that they cook before you start adding the items you want to have in your curry. Start by mixing your spice powders in a small bowl so you can easily dump them into the pan you will cook them in.
Next, let’s pick the fat that we are going to use. The authentic, buttery flavor of Indian dishes can be most easily achieved by using ghee, which is butter fat with the milk solids removed, so it does not have to be refrigerated. Other than ghee, you can use butter or, if you are strictly vegan, a plant-based oil. I would recommend using either olive or peanut oil. I tend to avoid other types of vegetable oils.
The other items you will want are fresh garlic and ginger, as well as onion (white, yellow or red), and fresh tomatoes, diced. Your cooking experience will be much more pleasant if you prep-cook all of these things before the heat hits the pan. Dice a whole onion; mince as many cloves of garlic as suits your taste, but at least do one or two; peel and grate or mince about an inch or two of ginger, depending on the girth of the root you’re working with. I usually want about the same volume of garlic and ginger. Dice two or three plum tomatoes or one very large tomato (more if you want it saucier).
Heat two tablespoons of the oil or ghee (or melt the butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. If you have a cinnamon stick and/or cardamom pods, put them in along with any seeds (e.g., cumin) first, then add the diced onions. You want the unground spices and the onion to cook for about five minutes or until the onion browns (carmelizes), then add the garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, adjusting heat to avoid burning. Add the spice powder mixture and stir. Add a quarter cup of water, more if needed, to keep the mixture from burning, then add the diced tomatoes and adjust heat as needed to bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for twenty minutes.
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Combine with any type of animal protein (e.g., a pound of chicken) and a diced potato to make a classic Chicken Curry dish. If needed, add water. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until cooked (potatoes fork soft and chicken 165 degrees F).
Garnish with cilantro. Squeezing citrus (lemon or lime) adds brightness. Serve with basmati rice and raita (yogurt with dried mint leaves).
All sorts of variations, e.g., add other vegetables, are possible: Experiment and … Enjoy!
Author Bio
Born Yousuf Haq, Joe Hawke has been a lifelong writer, but in 2023, he began writing in earnest again. His debut novel, American Justice, a contemporary satire parodying the justice system and political environment, came out in 2024, and its sequel, Redemption, will be published in early 2025. Also coming in early 2025, On Earth As It Is In Heaven is a chronologically ordered collection of short stories published by Pegasus that explore the personal themes of Christianity & Islam, American & Pakistani culture, virtue & sin, and family and belonging. Joe is also working on a cookbook, The Man Cave Cooking Guide: How to Feed Your Family – and Yourself – with Love. When he isn’t writing, Joe’s thirty-year career has been primarily focused on the helicopter industry. He has been involved in commercial banking, leasing, venture capital, private equity investing, and M&A. He received his BA from Haverford College and an MBA from Temple University.
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Written by Joe Hawke