 | |
| Type | Curry |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Indian subcontinent |
| Main ingredients | Spices (e.g.coriander,turmeric,cumin,chili peppers) |
Curry powder is any of severalspice mixes forcurry, adapted from but not to be confused withgaram masala in Indian cuisine.[1][2] It was first sold by Indian merchants to British traders during theBritish Raj. The first commercial curry powder product was sold by Sorlie's Perfumery in London in 1784. Brands such asCrosse & Blackwell andSharwood's were established late in the 18th century.
As commercially available in Western markets, curry powder is comparable to the traditional Indian spice mixture known asgaram masala ('warm spices').[3]
Conceived as a ready-made ingredient intended to replicate the flavor of an Indian sauce,[4][5] it was first sold by Indian merchants to British traders.[6]
The first commercially available curry powder in England was advertised by Sorlie's Perfumery Warehouse onPiccadilly in 1784.[7]
Curry powder was used as an ingredient in 18th-century British recipe books,[8] and commercially available from the late 18th century,[7][9] with brands such asCrosse & Blackwell andSharwood's persisting to the present. In Australia, a common curry spice mix isKeen's.[10][11][8] The ingredient "curry powder", along with instructions on how to produce it,[12] are also seen in 19th-century US and Australian cookbooks, and advertisements.[13]
British traders introduced the powder toMeiji Japan, in the mid-19th century, where it became known as "Japanese curry",[14] and evolved into a distinct dish.
In the West, the word "curry" is a broad reference to many differentIndian orderivative dishes prepared with different combinations of spices.[1][15] The English word "curry" is derived from theTamil wordkaṟi meaning 'sauce' or 'relish forrice'.[16][5]
A number of standards on curry powder have been defined. Most outline analytical requirements such as moisture, ash content, and oil content as well as permissible additives. Some also define a number of expected ingredients.
In the United States, curry powder is expected to contain at least these ingredients:turmeric,coriander,fenugreek,cinnamon,cumin,black pepper,ginger, andcardamom.[17]
The 1999 East African Standard (EAS 98:1999) does not define an ingredient baseline.[18] A newer 2017 draft from Uganda does require turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek and mustard.[19]
The Indian (FSSAI), Pakistani (PS:1741–1997), and international (ISO 2253:1999) standards do not define a baseline of essential ingredients.[20]
One tablespoon (6.3 g) of typical curry powder contains the following nutrients according to the USDA:[21]
No Indian, however, would have referred to his or her food as a curry. The idea of a curry is, in fact, a concept that the Europeans imposed on India's food culture. Indians referred to their different dishes by specific names ... But the British lumped all these together under the heading of curry.
