Topic started by Eduardo López Banzo (@ nsczpor1.rs1.nuria.telefonica-data.net) on Sat May 4 12:36:00 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I already have lots of spices for indian cooking but would like to know more about. Questions like: What is the difference between curries? Which flavours make a dish something different from another one? Which are the main cooking ways?
Thank you very much

Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: lathakrishnan (@ cache8-2.ruh.isu.net.sa) on: Fri Nov 8 05:06:41
  
  HI
  WELL,SAMBAR is atype of curry with the following veg in drumstrick,bringal,ladiesfinger,potato,avvararkkai beans,you can add other veg also like raddish there are different types of sambar any south indian will tell you.now idonot believe in book reading and making dishes they may give us some idea only by pratice and by making mistrake we learn perfection.please give me the receipe of roti curry.eg fish curry made by famous hotels lack the simplicity of grandma. people in villages in india grind masala by hand.THIS IS THE diff. especially in fish curry taste 100%DEPENDS ON FAST GRINDING OR SLOW. TO UNDERSTAND CURRIES TRAVING DIFFERENTPARTS OF INDIA WILL WORK OUT RATHER THAN LOOKING INTO BOOKS IT IS JUST LIKE SEARCHING FOR SABAR IN CHINIES BUFFET.THANKYOU.&bye. i
  
  
• From: Hemant (@ 12-233-223-112.client.attbi.com) on: Fri Nov 8 11:14:11
  
  Hello Dear Hubbers,
  A lot of views have been expressed in this forum about the word CURRY , its origin and its adaptation/adoption in English/American and other languages.
  CURRY is originally Tamil word meaning MEAT/FLESH dish prepared by Pariah tribe and other Vanniars and Marwar tribes etc.
  This Curry is basically meat side dish to be eaten with Rice.
  When English opened their BRANCH (Sic) in Chennapattanam or Medras/Madras three hundred and odd years ago, they were introduced to this Madras curry which was spicy meat dish with gravy.
  Everything later on became curry.
  This is my humble understanding.
  
  
• From: Rimi (@ dsc02-aui-tx-5-36.rasserver.net) on: Fri Nov 8 16:20:57
  
  Hi Funcook,
  Your clever and witty postings are quite amusing indeed! Now I know why you call yourself Funcook. Keep up the good work.
  
  
• From: funcook (@ tor-58-26b-209197169223.3web.net) on: Fri Nov 8 23:22:02
  
  Hello Readers!
  
  Not sure if Eduardo has been reading this interesting discussion which at times appears to be malicious, though unintentionally.
  
  Nevertheless, I feel compelled to add on to my stance in words only (and I promise no flavour of Venom), having started this controversy about the existence of a “CURRY”.
  
  A lot of people out there probably feel I must have started on a wrong note. I have no regrets for that. It’s not a battle of wits that we are indulging in. It’s a healthy discussion about authenticity.
  
  Hemant’s remark about the origins of “CURRY” is not my point of argument. We all know that “CURRY” comes from India and it is a widely used term in culinary practices. But it is a biggest misnomer in contemporary foods. That’s precisely the point I needed to raise. To what extent shall we tolerate the labelling of anything Indian?
  
  If Westerners have a problem of spelling out ethnic Indian words, it’s their problem. Did we not learn English to master their terminology? Why should we let them call our foods “CURRY”?
  
  Do we call a “Pot Pie” as something else? Did we not learn to say ” RATATOUILLE”? Why should we let them call “BAINGAN BHURTHA” as “Smoked Eggplant curry” or “Curried Smoked Eggplant”? Why is the term “CURRY” used in describing Indian foods?
  
  Why do you think Eduardo comes up with questions like:
  · What is the difference between curries?
  
  What kind of an answer do we have for such a question? Is Eduardo at fault?
  Certainly not, from what I presume that’s what he thinks Indian foods are all about. Aren’t we responsible for the myth?
  
  The word “CURRY” is used to imply some magical mix of spices, which has variations for using in different Indian Recipes. Does garam masala qualify to be a “CURRY”?
  
  Absolutely it does – it’s a type of “CURRY” powder. Some Recipe writer might even profess “CURRY IS DIFFERENT FROM CURRY LEAVES”.
  Thanks for the information.
  That was very educating.
  
  Tell the Westerners “CURRY” means saucy gravy cooked with meat/sea foods/vegetables – they’ll probably give us a lesson on “CURRY”
  
  And do we trust the Indian Restaurants abroad to be the true Ambassadors of Indian Foods? Aren’t they the ones who support the colonialist’s opinions?
  
  Yes Sir!
  No Sir!
  Curry is hot Sir!
  Lassi is sweet Sir!
  Poori is fat Sir!
  
  Let us all work to destroy this myth. Very soon they will sue us for using the word “CURRY” in our terminology.
  
  We almost lost the rights to say “TURMERIC”, and still battling with “BASMATI” or is it “BUSS- MAATTI”?
  
  What could be more tragic than calling "SAMBHAR" as "DAL CURRY"
  
  
  
• From: lathakrishan (@ cache2-2.ruh.isu.net.sa) on: Sat Nov 9 04:15:08
  
  hello, dal curry,well when you ask for defination how do you define sambar dal dal is the base mix of veg in it along with spices .sambar is a sambar as rose is a rose bye bye.
  
  
• From: Verna (@ mke-65-30-153-131.wi.rr.com) on: Sat Nov 9 14:14:58
  
  Oh, my goodness! I fear we have encouraged funcook too much. Dear funcook: we get it. the work curry is NEVER used in my western household. I know so little of Indian cooking but I DO know each dish has a name. And that lassi is wonderful when salty. Give some of us an iota of credit, please.
  
  
• From: funcook (@ tor-58-27a-209197172049.3web.net) on: Sun Nov 10 01:37:06
  
  Hello Verna!
  
  Funcook yaps a lot when it comes to foods
  About foods am I passionate with stirring moods
  
  Do not fear.
  I will stop here.
  
  The point has been made
  I promise to draw the line with a cutting blade
  
  I am no arbitrator of the fight
  Credit is all yours for everything else and reading me right
  
  Vent out my feelings, had it bottled in for long
  Lassi is not salty it’s salted, and don’t get me wrong
  
  Fusion and emulsion, with spices to play
  Creating a confusion but curry is here to stay
  
  Said you “But if you are not careful, someone may unravel your secrets”
  Beg of you for a truce; please do not release more of such threats.
  
  
• From: Mini (@ adsl-34-132-88.asm.bellsouth.net) on: Sun Nov 10 08:16:12
  
  Beautiful alliteration!!! I liked it.
  
  
• From: Verna (@ mke-65-30-153-131.wi.rr.com) on: Sun Nov 10 09:00:28
  
  Ah! funcook,
  No threats come from this pen, simply an enjoyment of Indian food. My ignorance is evident. Your encouragment in my journey to get it right is more helpful than your..... targeted wit. You seem to have more than a passion for cooking in your life. We enjoy your articulate postings and promise to give them no investigative thought, as you previously requested.
  
  
• From: honey (@ h24-77-218-118.ok.shawcable.net) on: Sun Nov 10 10:24:00
  
  Hello,
  I totally agree with funcook when he says we shouldn't let others change anything about us just so it would be easy for them. You can explain to them that sambar is kind of a curry with dal in it, but never let them call it Dal curry. True we know lasagna and chow mien both of which are not our language, so why shouldn't others try saying ours. To take it on a deeper level, a lot of Indians I know shorten their names to sound ridiculous or just change the way it is said just so their white friends can say it. Now that is truly sad. Try calling your white friend with a wrong name. We don't have to change who we are, just to fit in. We will never fit in. Our brown skin and features will distinguish us. So let us be who we are and enjoy our foods.
  
  
• From: rory (@ x-airlock007.esatclear.ie) on: Mon Nov 11 14:51:26
  
  Hi Eduardo; the best english book for a novice is Lord Krishna's Cuisine by Yamuna Devi, as it explains in great detail all the spices, pulses, masalas (spice mixes) for the neophyte.
  Also, do not say 'curry' just try 'dish' instead, until you learn the term, like "what is this dish?" and someone can answer "It's a Dosa"
  I would get all my recipes from here or bawarchi, but I like So. Indian esp. Tamil food a lot. And I can say Kootu, Kothumalli, Vendakkai - :) Rory
  
  

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