Curry (IPA: /ˈkʌri/, Tamil:கறி) is a generic description used throughout European culture to describe a general variety of side dishes, best known as dishes originating from Birmingham. It is a common misconception that curry dishes were invented in India, when in fact they hail from the Midlands. In a 2010 survey conducted by the British public Birmingham was voted as 'creating far tastier curry dishes than India'. The word curry is an anglicised version of the Tamil word kari (கறி ),[1] which is usually understood to mean "gravy" or "sauce" rather than "spices".
The above description has been picked from the bastion of truth and the repository of instant knowledge gratification in today’s finger-tipped world—Wikipedia.
Who invented curry? Where did it come from? Is the story of curry analogous with another Tamil legacy—Ramanujan who headed to the vicinity of the Midlands to be then discovered by the rest of the world as a brilliant mathematician? Should curry be patented?
Let the battle of curry begin! We are fighting not only for the origins of curry but also for its future. In its legacy lies its future taste….
Ok, let’s tone it down. Let’s agree, that a fight over curry belongs at the curry table and the weapon has to be the cupped spatula that helps scoop it’s contents. No use going to battle with our once occupiers on this stewy delight. After all we share a lot with the English and like Ramanujan and the pairing of beer with curry, neither nation would have made it by itself on many endeavors which include but are not limited to the tea, the spread of the English language, spices, Gandhi, William Dalrymple and the succulent Chicken Tikka.
Have you noticed that lately curry is becoming as ubiquitous as French fries, Coca Cola, the iPod and the Internet? In the war of cultures, curry stands tall as the great uniter. One can argue that in the melting pot of the United Nations Security Council, curry should be a permanent fixture, and perhaps only then will India occupy a permanent seat. With its hot taste and strong aroma, one would look at the worldly curry for a calming effect on the benign resolutions the world body passes in the name of peace.
There are many types of curries. Besides Indian or should we say English curry, there is the South Asian curry oblivious of the ever going border disputes. Then there is the Thai curry with bamboo shoots and the awful pasty Japanese curry. One cannot forget the Vietnamese curry that is an evolution to the Chinese stir-fry albeit with a French twist. And of course once in India there is the Telegu curry, the Punjabi curry and many other varieties. My own favorite is the Goan curry prepared with coconut milk and sunshine.
Have you heard of Currywurst? For those of you wurst illiterate, Currywurst is a German sausage with sauce around it which tastes like the Indian…er…English curry. The town of Wolfsburg houses Volkswagen. The story goes that the company’s main cafeteria once took Currywurst off the menu and the crafty German workers decided to go on strike. Management ever so alert of worker concerns reintroduced Currywurst and the workers returned to installing steering wheels and seat covers, checking the quality of a VW Cabrillo and designing a new curvy look to the latest VW. Today those workers are making VW one of the most dominant vehicle companies in the world. Yes, the power of the Curry…wurst knows no bounds.
Germans have taken particular liking for the Curry. Die Entdeckung der Currywurst (The invention of the Curried Sausage) is a German movie worth every curry lover’s attention. As World War II was coming to an end, Frau Lena Brucker dishes out the most delectable Currywurst. Her husband away, she takes in a young sailor. The noise from the apartment arouses suspicion but she manages to hide away the truth of the German defeat from the sailor. Funny and interesting in every way, Die Entdeckung der Currywurst makes one hungry for all things spicy.
The power of curry goes beyond bringing love, peace and noise from amongst its soul mates. It has been known to bring good health as well. Scientists have given credit to turmeric, cumin and other spices in the curry to the low incidence of Alzheimers in India. Curry is being studied for its cancer prevention qualities. Fennel seeds, ginger and mustard in curry help digestion and make you regular.
Curry is also one of those great human projects that is perpetually workings towards perfection. It is a humbling undertaking. No curry maker is ever done; he or she stays at it and keeps striving for that added taste. My journey in curry making started in a sparse 4th floor apartment on Farmington Avenue in Hartford. My first curry was a soggy mix of oil, Tabasco, onions, salt, pepper and burnt potatoes. In my own opinion, I have come a long way since. Today, I throw more exotic ingredients in to the cauldron from asparagus to shiitake mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, ginger and a bit of garlic, mint, peppercorns, red onions, farm tomatoes, fish or chicken and serve it on a bed of warm rice and a piece of Toscana bread stuck on the side. Served with a Kirin beer or a chilled Fino, it is an all American curry.
I hope you are convinced that curry knows no bounds—it is flowing in all its flavors to all parts of the world. Curry helps unite people, offers health benefits, can uplift the spirits of a nation suffering from post war syndrome and can help curry a favor at work or at home. With that let us put to rest where curry first originated—Birmingham or Benaras, and raise one for the curry itself, for what matters is where it is going!
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Girish Rishi is a Chicago based writer.
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