The origin of the word curry is said to be the Tamil word ‘kari’ which means ‘spiced sauce.’ The East Indians introduced their spice to Britain, and it eventually was introduced to the Caribbean, when East Indians were brought to the islands to work as indentured laborers. In each region however, the preparation and flavor of dishes made with this popular spice differs, and none of them would taste the same as curry eaten in India.
Curry is popular dish in Japan for example, but certainly not the curry associated with Indian cuisine. Most curry dishes are yellow, but Japanese curry dishes include a dark brown sauce, and it is usually milder than the intense spicy flavor of a traditional Indian curry preparation.
In the Caribbean also, the flavor and preparation of curry dishes vary from one island to another. Curried duck in Martinique is definitely no the same as you would find in Trinidad and Tobago, or Guyana. Curried duck in Martinique is prepared with Madeira and cream, and spiced with curry powder and garlic. It is also cooked along with apples, mushrooms and onions. Sounds delicious, but try the curried duck of Trinidad and Tobago, which like curried goat, chicken, or shrimp has a much spicier flavor.
These are traditional and very popular dishes on these islands. The preparation produces a potent yellow gravy or stew, and can be eaten with rice or roti.Vegetables are also curried. The East Indians in Trinidad, curry cabbage, cauliflower, a green bean called bodi, chickpeas, potatoes and even eggs.
Aloopie (cooked potatoes in fried flour dough) and Doubles (a saffron powder flour dough) filled with curried chickpeas (channa) are two popular delicacies. In Jamaica, the Jamaicans even include curry in a popular dish called calaloo, and call it curry calaloo soup.
Curry is not only tasty, it is also healthful. It comprises many spices such as turmeric which is curry’s main ingredient. This rich beneficial yellow spice also contains cinnamon, blackpepper, allspice, anise, asafetida, cardamom, chili pepper, cloves, coriander leaves cumin and fenugreek. Various brands of curry comprise many other ingredients, but the main ingredients used in curry in Thailand and India for example; and also in the West, are turmeric, coriander cumin and fenugreek. The blend contains a wealth of anti-inflammatory properties which greatly benefit the human body, ranging from better digestion to healthier skin. If you like spicy food and you haven’t yet tried curry; it is worth giving it a try, for both flavor and health.