What Does Curry Chicken Taste Like: A Detailed Taste Review
Curry chicken is a popular dish in many parts of the world, but it is especially popular in the Caribbean. This is because the Caribbean is home to numerous people of Indian descent. As a result, curry chicken has become a staple of Caribbean cuisine. I know you’re curious about what an authentic Curry Chicken tastes like, keep reading this article, and you’ll surely know the answer to that question!
Curry chicken taste depends on the type of curry, whether yellow, green, or red and the amount of spices added in. One thing that most curry chicken recipes have in common is the use of milk, which gives the dish its characteristic rich, creamy and savory flavor.
In this article, we will find out what curry chicken tastes like, the basics of making curry, and how curry chicken recipes vary.
What Is Curry?
Curry comes from the Tamil word “Kari,” which means sauce. It is seasoned with a mixture of spices, including ginger, onion, turmeric, and garlic, added with dairy or milk, and usually served with rice, tofu, and bread.
There are many variations of curry dishes. Curry dishes can contain chicken, meat, shellfish, and vegetables with a significant amount of creamy sauce. In India, curry tree leaves can be included in the dish.
In Southeast Asia, curry uses coconut milk and spices, eaten with rice. The difference between curry is massive since it is cooked in many ways and can also depend on the cook’s taste.
Curry creates an explosion of flavors in the mouth that anyone will find fascinating. You can taste the heat from cumin, the earthy taste of turmeric, the aroma of garlic and chilies, and the savory flavor of dairy all in one dish. Generally, curry tastes spicy and sweet at the same time.
Where Did Curry Chicken Originate?
Curry chicken originated in the Indian subcontinent that was brought to other parts of the world.
It is served in Great Britain, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean. Two broad curry categories – Indian and Thai curry—are included in many restaurants’ menus.
Indian curry is a combination of British and Indian cooking. During the 18th century, some British who lived in India encouraged adaptations of Indian dishes to suit their palate. Whenever they moved from India, the British brought their curries, while Indians also introduced their food culture wherever they traveled.
Through time, when these Indians married into local families, it somehow created a fusion of cooking, giving rise to various types of curry modifications.
A typical Indian curry has a blend of spices to make one mixture called masala. The Indians rarely use milk in their curry; hence Indian curries are broth or water-based, added with tomato and yogurt to thicken.
Thai Curry often uses coconut cream or milk with spice blends available locally. It can further be categorized as a green, red, and yellow curry that differs primarily in its vital ingredient giving it its color.
Thai and Indian curries look similar, but they differ in the cooking process, with the former having milk as a base and the latter with a base of tomato, butter, and onion.
What Are The Ingredients For Making Curry Chicken?
Since the curry chicken recipe is vast, we will focus on the most popular curry chicken. The Indian Curry chicken recipe Murgh Kari is a unique dish that inspired many innovations in this food. The original Murgh Kari does not use milk. Instead, tomato and yogurt are added to thicken the sauce.
The curry chicken that appeared on the palate of most people uses milk to make the curry sauce. It has rich flavors of spices, with juicy chicken coated in a creamy and spicy base.
To make a curry chicken, you will need chicken meat and various spices like peppercorns, ground cumin, ground turmeric, coriander, ginger, cayenne pepper, and cilantro.
You can also throw in starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Other continents also add in spices available locally.
Also, lemon juice, tomato, onion, garlic, and yogurt. Some also add cinnamon to their curry, especially in Indian curry chicken recipes.
Types Of Curry Used In Curry Chicken
Types of curries can be categorized mainly by the vital ingredient that gives them the final hue or color and distinct taste. Here are the common types of curry and how it affects the taste of the curry chicken recipe.
The yellow curry uses turmeric, hence the yellow hue of the dish. The more you add turmeric, the yellower it becomes, and the more the taste becomes earthy, spicy, peppery, and a little bitter and sweet.
Turmeric perfectly complements the rich flavor of the milk, making it the most common curry type. Slices of potatoes, corn, and carrots are also added to most yellow curries.
The green curry uses a fresh blend of green spices like cilantro, coriander, shallots, lemongrass, thyme leaves, green chilies, and basil. Green curry tends to be less spicy than red curry, but tastes fresher than yellow curry. Thai prefers more pungent green curries, while Americans prefer them to be milder.
Red curry is the spiciest, primarily because it uses red chilies to get the red color. It is often mixed with tomato sauce and chili powder, enhancing the color and flavor.
If you want a very spicy red curry, you can level it up by using more red chilies and chili powder. The red curry tastes bold and spicy and is one of the most versatile curries you can try.
The spicy and rich flavor of curry chicken is a flavor to crave. Adding extra chili peppers, ginger, and cayenne pepper is easy to spice up the curry even more. However, the curries’ spiciness is always subject to the cook’s version of the recipe.
In addition, curry powders—a mixture of sweet and savory spices have been commercialized for the longest time, making it easier to achieve the rich, sweet and savory taste of a curry chicken.
What Are The Basics Of Making Curry Chicken?
These are simple guidelines for making a delicious curry chicken at home. You must prepare the aromatic ingredients – ginger, onion, and garlic. Other essential spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and those for the spicy flavor like red and green chilies.
Also, the meat and vegetables you need and, most importantly, the milk, cream, or yogurt you need for the sauce.
If you want to make it thicker, you can simmer the curry under low heat for a couple of minutes.
You can also use cornstarch or arrowroot powder on the mixture and add mashed potatoes or ground peanuts to add more to the texture.
You can experiment with what curry you want by combining spices and herbs, and other ingredients you have locally.
What Are The Variations Of Curry Chicken Flavor In Different Regions?
There are unlimited variations of curry chicken you can taste in many regions. Every continent that has curry has its twist on the dish.
India offers an uncontested curry chicken. It uses lots of savory and aromatic spices that are bursting with flavor.
Traditional Indians rarely use milk in their dish, so to thicken the curry, they use tomatoes and yogurt. Indian curry is like no other in the world because it is highly aromatic and produces an exciting flavor with spice combinations.
The British prefer their curry to be thicker and a bit sweeter than the Indian curry. The British curry uses the same spices as the Indian curry, but takes a sweet-savory approach rather than the sour flavor of Indian curry from the use of tomatoes. They modified the Indian curry to suit the British’ taste.
The Caribbean curry contains crab, shrimp, potatoes, and chickpeas, even with lobster on special occasions. It takes after the British curry, but generally uses pre-made blends and curry powder.
Japan has its version of curry chicken. Japanese curry contains mainly curry powder and fewer spices than Indian curry, but it has this “umami” flavor. Japanese curry is less spicy and milder than its Asian counterparts. The color and texture of Japanese curry are thicker and creamier.
Thai curries are one of the best-tasting curries in the world. They taste tangier and spicier than Indian curry. Thai and Indian curries do not taste the same, despite their similarity in appearance.
They are different curries because they have a thinner consistency and contain many fresh herbs. Many ingredients readily found in Southeast Asia are also added to the dish.
Chinese curry contains many chopped vegetables and uses corn flour slurry to thicken the sauce. The Chinese curry combines five Chinese spices, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar that taste milder than other curries. It resembles the taste of Indian curry but brings out a more meaty flavor and a soup consistency.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Curry Chicken?
Curry chicken has the main ingredient of chicken that is rich in protein, vegetables that have lots of minerals, and curry sauce that has surprising benefits. Spices contained in curry have anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce pain.
Turmeric in curry chicken aids digestion and can relieve upset stomachs. It also effectively lowers cholesterol in the body and improves circulation.
However, eat curry chicken in moderation because it has high-fat content. You can have alternatives to reduce calories on your favorite curry chicken, such as substituting meat with tofu or using light coconut or low-fat milk.
Conclusion
Curry chicken is a fantastic dish that will surely be pleasurable for your taste buds. With the right mixture of sweetness, spiciness, and earthiness, it is truly a dish worthy of its reputation. Once you taste it, you can say that chicken recipes will never be complete without the flavorful curry! Try it, and enjoy a mouth-watering experience.
