Curry powder
| Curry powder | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Curry |
| Place of origin | South Asia |
| Main ingredients | Spices (coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and chili peppers) |
 Cookbook:Curry powder  Curry powder | |
Curry powder is a spice mix of widely varying composition based on South Asian cuisine. Curry powder and the contemporary English use of the word "curry" are Western inventions and do not reflect any specific South Asian food, though a similar mixture of spices used in north South Asia is called garam masala. Curry powder is actually closer to the Tamil sambar powder, and the word "curry" is derived from the Tamil word kari meaning "sauce, relish for rice", or from the Kannada word karil or from the Telugu word kuura.[1][2] However, use of curry was prevalent in South Asia much before the advent of Europeans in India. In fact, almost 4000 years prior to the advent of Europeans, curry with key ingredients of ginger, garlic, and turmeric was used in the Indus Valley Civilization.[3]
Ingredients
Most curry powder recipes include coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and chili peppers in their blends. Depending on the recipe, additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel seed, caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, nutmeg, long pepper, and black pepper may also be included. Quality curry powder will contain curry leaf.[4] However, the Portuguese importation of the chilli pepper from Brazil and their mixing of other Asian spices enabled the development of 'curi'.[5]
Nutritional information
1 tablespoon of curry powder contains the following nutritional information according to the USDA:[6]
- Calories : 20 kcal
- Fat: 0.87 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.66 g
- Fibers: 2.1 g
- Protein: 0.8 g
See also
References
- ↑ "curry, n.2". OED Online. June 2013. Oxford University Press. Retrieved: 29 August 2013.
- ↑ Harper, Douglas (November 2001). "Online Etymology Dictionary". Retrieved 8 November 2009.
- ↑ http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/01/indus_civilization_food_how_scientists_are_figuring_out_what_curry_was_like.single.html
- ↑ http://www.mccormick.com/Spices-and-Flavors/Herbs-and-Spices/Spices/Curry-Powder
- ↑ Page, Martin (2007). The First Global Village: How Portugal Changed the World. Casa das Letras. p. 148. ISBN 978-972-46-1313-0.
- ↑ "NDL/FNIC Food Composition Database Home Page". Nal.usda.gov. Retrieved 22 October 2013.