Help with Curry

I love eating curry but don't really know where to begin with it. I have done some research trying to find books and recipes online but there is just too much information on it. Anyone have any recommended books on the different styles of curry and how to make them. If there is a little history and background on each that would be a huge bonus. Thanks.

50 Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi has some very good recipes in it.

Thai Food, David Thompson.

"Curry" fragrant dishes from India, Thailand, Malaysia & Indonesia.
I've made alot of the recipes from it and they all turned out great.

Don't forget Japanese Curry and Mexican curry--Mole

My favorite books on this cuisine:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/8183282997/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0609611011/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0684803836/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

They cover things beyond curry and also cover styles from the south to the north.

+1 Thai food that book is amazing

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer :doublethumbsup:

Curry :hungry: Do not go out & buy a large container of curry powder. It has a shelf life & goes bad. Fresh is best. Lots of fresh ginger & garlic.

Curry fragrant dishes India, Thailand, Malaysia, & Indonesia is a good one

Not a big fan of Japanese curry too sweet for my taste. Love Indian, Thai. Vietnam makes good curry too.

I love Japanese curry, the too sweet ones are cause they add sugar or honey.

A little sugar can enhance flavor. The Japanese curry places here use too much sugar for me, a lot of people do like the sweet curries so it is just my opinion. I use cinnamon, even throw a banana in the pot for sweetness.

I am a fan of Madhur Jaffreys Curry Bible. Everything I made tastes great and it seems (at least to me) to give authentic recipies.

Alright, I went with Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, Cooking at Home with Pedatha, 660 Curries and Curry: Fragrant dishes from India, Thailand. I hope to get them in a few days and will report back with my experience and what comes of it. I am so excited for this. Thanks so much everyone.

foodaholic said:

Alright, I went with Indian Home Cooking: A Fresh Introduction to Indian Food, Cooking at Home with Pedatha, 660 Curries and Curry: Fragrant dishes from India, Thailand. I hope to get them in a few days and will report back with my experience and what comes of it. I am so excited for this. Thanks so much everyone.

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I think you'll have much to explore from those books. If you have any questions about the first two, let me know. I've made a significant number of dishes from each of them.

I will probably have lots of questions. Thanks for the help.

keithsaltydog said:

A little sugar can enhance flavor. The Japanese curry places here use too much sugar for me, a lot of people do like the sweet curries so it is just my opinion. I use cinnamon, even throw a banana in the pot for sweetness.

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My wife's recipe calls for banana. Gotta use S&B curry powder along with the paste/blocks. Eat Japanese style curry with oshinko (pickled veg) to balance sweetness.

Like to use Ka'iulani Spices Exotic curry. She makes some other good spices as well. Come in small 3oz jars so you use it up while still fresh.

I use her Curry seasoning when sauté onions & garlic instead of salt with chili, pasta sauce, stewed tomato's blk. eyed peas & other dishes. May salt to taste. Because I use salt & sugar sparingly in dishes often find others cooking too salty or sweet.

There are so many other good spices esp. in Indian, Thai, Indo, Vietnam, middle eastern foods that can make savory sauces without dumping in large amounts of salt & sugar.

s&b blocks are great! mix 1 part hot 2 parts mild enhance with extra quality tumeric and apples for sweetness instead of sugar, soy sauce instead of salt.

I don't have any specific recommendation, but i would go with any indian, thai, vietnamese, etc. cookbook written by a native (and translated to english ).
Watch authentic cooking videos so you can see how they do it.
And once you get an understanding in the techniques and ingredients you can start cooking.

Books will get your foundation set, but practicing technique is just as important. Finding a nice, heavy, high sided mortar and pestle can be difficult unless you're buying online (shipping is the killer, mine is a small one and weighs 10+ pounds), really having the patients to mash everything very well is important, the more you breakdown the cell walls the better. also something that ups the game is when you are frying the paste in fat (which should be a lot) use a little bit of coconut milk during the process, the fats in the milk will separate and you will be frying and caramelizing the milk solids which tastes delicious.

also a well seasoned wok or cast iron will let you fry all the moisture out of the paste without it sticking and burning.

Speaking of videos and technique...Chef Vah Reh Vah is the best and most comprehensive I have seen on youtube. his recipes are very basic, but you go there for the basic technique and get your recipe/flourishes elsewhere.

https://www.youtube.com/user/vahchef

japanese curry, thai curry, cambodia curry, pakistani curry.

Bonertyme said:

japanese curry, thai curry, cambodia curry, pakistani curry.

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Your point (?) eludes me - but I'm a simple guy.

daveb said:

Your point (?) eludes me - but I'm a simple guy.

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:laughat:

My birthplace is South Africa...
Try these...

https://www.google.co.nz/?gws_rd=ssl#q=south+african+curry+recipes