Indian Culture

Curry

Curry is a Western umbrella term for spiced sauce dishes from India.1,2,3,4 The word comes from Tamil kari, sauce; curry powder was a British invention.1,2,4,5,6,7

Also known as Curry powder

Curry is a Western umbrella term for dishes from India in which meat, fish or vegetables cook in a spiced sauce.1,2,3,5,8 The word goes back to Tamil kari, sauce: in South India it named a soupy dressing for rice, and Europeans soon gave the name to every such dish.1,2,4,5,6,9,10 In India the dishes have their own names, such as sambar from the south or vindaloo from Goa.2,11 Many Indian curries begin with onions, ginger and garlic; the spices are usually mixed anew for each dish, and every region seasons differently.1,6,12,13 Curry powder, a ready-made blend coloured yellow mainly by turmeric, is a British invention: with it, British cooks recreated Indian dishes.1,6,7 Curry powder is sold in India too; Indian food law requires at least 85 percent spices and bans added colouring.14,15,16 MDH makes its own blends for chicken curry and meat curry; according to the pack, coriander, chilli, cumin and turmeric come first.15,16

Is curry Japanese or Indian?

Indian in origin: the word goes back to Tamil kari, sauce. Japanese curry rice came via Britain in the Meiji era and is made with a roux of curry powder and roasted flour, which makes it thick.1,4,7,17,18

What spices are in curry?

Curry powder usually contains turmeric for the yellow colour, plus coriander, cumin, black pepper, chilli and fenugreek. There is no fixed blend, and in India the spices are usually mixed anew for each dish.1,6,13,14

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Sources

  1. Britannica Editors. (1998). curry. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  2. Yule, H. (1903). Curry. In Hobson-Jobson (p. 283). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago.
  3. Alford, J. & Duguid, N. (2005). curry. In Mangoes & Curry Leaves.
  4. Davidson, A. (2014). curry. In The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.
  5. Cornelsen Verlag. (n.d.). Curry. In Duden online. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  6. Katzer, G. (n.d.). Curryblätter (Murraya koenigii). Gernot Katzers Gewürzseiten. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  7. Public Relations Office, Government of Japan. (2025). The Evolution of the Japanese Classic, Curry Rice. HIGHLIGHTING Japan. Cabinet Office, Government of Japan.
  8. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). curry. In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  9. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). curry. In Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  10. University of Madras. (n.d.). kaṟi. In Tamil Lexicon (p. 825). Digital Dictionaries of South Asia, University of Chicago. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
  11. Britannica Editors. (2023). Indian cuisine. In Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  12. Thakrar, S., Thakrar, K., & Nasir, N. (2019). Adding ginger and garlic pastes. In Dishoom.
  13. Peterson, J. (2000). Curry. In Splendid Soups.
  14. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. (2025). Chapter 2: Food Product Standards, 2.9 Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products, 2.9.19 Curry Powder.
  15. Indian Culture: MDH Chicken Curry Spice Blend (Curry Masala for Chicken).
  16. Indian Culture: MDH Meat Curry Spice Blend (Curry Masala for Meat).
  17. Public Relations Office, Government of Japan. (2026). Kaigun Curry – A Dish Passed Down in Yokosuka. HIGHLIGHTING Japan. Cabinet Office, Government of Japan.
  18. Kikkoman Corporation. (2018). Yokosuka Kaigun Curry. Kikkoman Food Forum, Vol. 32, No. 3.

Cite this entry

MLA

“Curry.” Indian Culture Glossary, Indian Culture, https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/curry.

Chicago

Indian Culture Glossary, s.v. “Curry,” https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/curry.

APA

Indian Culture. (n.d.). Curry. In Indian Culture glossary. https://www.indian-culture.de/en/glossar/curry