March 2, 2020
It is safe to say that Indian and Pakistani cuisine is known for its array of flavoursome curries. In fact, the British public love curry so much that we have made it our national dish! Here at Royal Nawaab, we want to dive deeply into the history of a traditional curry and understand where the routes of the infamous dish really come from. Read on to find out more information…
Since the word ‘curry’ comes from the word ‘Kari’ in the Tamil language of India, it is thought that the dish originated on the sub-continent. In fact, the word itself has three distinct meanings as it can refer to a spice mixture, the actual curry leaf itself or it may reference a finished dish that is eaten across the world. According to historians, there is evidence that English cooks were making curry during the reign of Richard II, however it was Italian explorer and coloniser Christopher Columbus who spread the dish across the world through trades with the East.
Interestingly, curry was not always the spicy dish that we know and recognise today and it is thanks to the transportation of chilli’s to India during the 1500’s that heat has become a major characteristic. After all, they were often incorporated into the traditional recipes by Indian cooks in order to enhance the flavour.
In order to understand the history of a curry, it is important to look at what the dish is. After all, curry has a strong cultural meaning in some parts of the world and its taste and texture is often influenced by cooking style and cuisine. In the 21st century, a curry is a dish with a rich, spicy sauce that is filled with meat or vegetables and eaten with rice or bread like roti and naan. With this said, curry can also be dry or wet and the cooking style often determines what the finished product looks like.
Here at Royal Nawaab, our chefs work tirelessly in order to ensure that our curries are bursting with exotic and authentic flavours. After all, it may be the UK’s favourite dish but a British take on a traditional Indian or Pakistani curry will never be as good as the real thing! To find out more information about the history of curry and the different dishes that we serve, get in contact with a member of the Royal Nawaab team and book a table at our Manchester or London restaurant today!
