Guide to Basic Curry

As someone who grew up in rural Nebraska, it will probably come as no surprise that I didn't have curry until college. The first curry i had came from a diner in Hillsdale (where I went to college), that happened to have a Thai owner. From that moment I was hooked. To this day, that very specific spicy smell makes me drool every time. A big pile of curry over noodles or rice can be a great comfort food, and the spicy kind can help clear a stuffy nose. I wanted to share this delicious food with my family back in Nebraska, but that proved to be difficult when there are no curry restaurants for at least 40 miles.

So, my mom and I improvised. We found an instant curry that would at least give an idea of the experience. She loved it. As do most of the people I've introduced to curry over the years. Many people have the misconception that curry is inherently spicy, and it is. But not spicy in the "burn your mouth" kind of way, spicy in the "one way ticket to FLAVORTOWN" kind of way. It just tastes good, and there's nothing else quite like it. Even those who don't tend to have exotic taste can be won over by the right curry, it just tastes good.

And while the flavor is very specific, no two curries are alike. Every restaurant, family, etc. has its own recipe. It's like how no two homemade salsas are the same. There are different basic types, but the nuances are really up to the chef. So, I am going to endeavor to construct a guide to anyone wanting to try curry in an area where it's hard to find or looking to satisfy that curry craving on a budget. Because it's so highly variable, curry is easy to alter to any taste preference or allergy, so anyone can make it the way they like it. I'm going to set this post up to showcase some options that I've had and enjoyed, so you can mix and match whatever sounds good to you and make your own curry. Remember, this is a very basic guide, so I'm sticking to the most common kinds of curry that I've seen and are fairly easy to make. This guide will also be for primarily Thai-style curry, I may make another guide when I have a better handle on Indian spice profiles. So, let's begin:

Choose your protein:

Beef

Chicken

Lamb

Shrimp

Pork

Tofu

Choose your color:

Yellow

Red

Green (This one is best with shrimp in my opinion)

Yes, curry comes in colors! Each color has it's own flavor profile that goes well with different vegetables and meats. The curry powder you find in the spice section is the base for yellow curry, the other two are based on curry paste. I found both red and green curry paste at Target, so I know that it can be found, just check out the Asian foods section of a well-stocked grocery store.

Choose your vegetables:

Potatoes

Carrots

Onions

Peppers

tomatoes

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Mushrooms

Snow Peas

Spices and flavors:

Lime juice

Bay leaf

Cilantro (if you're into the stuff, to me it tastes like soap)

Garlic

Basil

Cumin

Tumeric

Coriander

Paprika

Cayenne pepper

Cardamom

Cinnamon

Ginger

Red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Chili sauce (Sriracha is my favorite)

Soy sauce

Fish sauce

Choose your vehicle:

Jasmine Rice

Basmati rice

Brown Rice

Rice noodles

Quinoa

Cauliflower rice

Spaghetti Squash

And finally, one basic ingredient common to most Thai curry sauces:

1 can coconut milk

or an equivalent amount of dairy milk

Instructions:

1. Get your meat and vegetables chopped up and ready to go. If making rice, get the rice started (I hate it when I forget to do this, so i'm reminding you).

2. Heat your oil of choice in a large skillet, wok, or pot. Saute a few cloves of minced garlic (as much or as little as you like, I use around 4) and onion in the oil for 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add in meat, (if uncooked) potatoes, carrots, and your sauce base (either paste or powder, put in about 2 T) and saute until meat is cooked through. Add other vegetables (and meat if already cooked) and saute for about a minute.

4. Whisk 1 T cornstarch into some of the coconut milk, then add all of it to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.

5. Okay, while it's simmering, now is your time to make this recipe your own. Take any of those spices mentioned above and attack the pan. Taste the sauce, think about what it needs and add that. For a little bite, add lime juice. For more smoky flavor, add paprika or cayenne. To make it more interesting, add cumin, cinnamon, or tumeric. Toss in a couple of bay leaves. To kick up the savory goodness factor, add soy sauce or fish sauce (it's not just for fish, it's a great flavor for anything). Adjust the heat level to your preference (which for me means dumping in a bunch of garlic chili sauce).

6. When your flavor balance is perfect and the sauce has finished simmering, check the consistency to make sure it's good. If it needs to be thinned, use more coconut milk or stock or water. Dish it up over your vehicle of choice and enjoy!

I know this recipe is kind of vague, but it's meant to be versatile. This is all about trying and tweaking your perfect curry recipe to be exactly the way you like it. It can be as simple as meat, sauce base, and milk, or as complicated as literally throwing everything on this list in one dish. It's great for using up leftover meats or vegetables you have laying around. I hope you have as much fun creating your own curry as I did!