The Honourable East India Company (HEIC) was chartered on 31 December 1600 by Queen Elizabeth, making it one of the oldest corporations on earth, and in its heyday the British East India Company accounted for half the commerce on the planet. The British Union Jack was modeled from the British East India Company's banner. High on HEIC's list of prized tradewares was spices.
To this day, what I remember most about my trips to India is the scent of the mélange of spices to be found everywhere.
Country |
Region/State |
Known For |
Characteristics |
India |
Goa |
Vindaloo |
Portuguese inspired dishes featuring wine and garlic. |
|
Karnataka |
Saaru soup |
Commonly vegetarian curries served with hot rice, with hints of coconut and sweet jaggery |
|
Kerala |
Sadya, served on a banana leaf |
Mustard, onion and shredded coconut paste based curries with boiled rice. |
|
Tamil Nadu |
Distinctive flavors |
Range of taste sensations expanded by the use of aromatic exotics such as tamarind and rosewater. Vegetarian, with some fresh water fish and seafood. |
|
Bengal, Bangladesh |
Oriya cuisine |
Delicately spiced fish curries in a mustard oil base. Garam masala is often used for non-vegetarian dishes. Sweets are common here. |
|
|
Maharashtra |
Shev bhaji |
Highly spiced coconut based curries featuring groundnut (peanut) powder and chickpea flour. |
|
Gujarat |
Winter undhiyu |
Dry vegetarian or paneer kofta curries. "Simple" food made by farmers. |
|
Kashmir |
Rogan josh |
Lamb curries with yoghurt gravies colored brilliant red by chilies and local plant extracts. |
Pakistan |
Lahore |
Karahi |
Simmered chicken, beef, mutton, paneer and goat stews prepared in a flat-bottomed wok called a karahi. |
|
Punjab |
Yoghurt and gram flour dumpling Kardhi |
A fruit and vegetable growing paradise. Saags and dals served with breads and rice. Onion, garlic and ginger aromatics dominate. |
|
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pass) |
Peshawari karahi |
Dried fruits and vegetables, nuts, and cereals along with dairy yoghurts and wheys. Harsh mountainous winters in this region near Afghanistan makes fresh food hard to obtain. |
|
Sindh |
Fish salan (curry) |
Fresh fish from the Arabian Sea create particularly hot fish curry dishes eaten together with phulka flatbread. |
|
Balochistan |
Sajji |
Spice rubbed lamb sajji, along with desert dried fruits and nuts incorporated in curry stews and roasts. |
Sri Lanka |
Columbo |
Rice and curry |
A rice culture that features spicy fresh fish and vegetable curries. |
Nepal |
Kathmandu |
Yak dishes |
Influenced by neighbors Burma and Tibet, daal bhaat (lentil soup) is a staple as well as curried yak and vegetable dishes with ginger and fenugreek. Soups are prepared from the brewery remnants of rice beer. |
Maldives |
Malé |
Mas riha (tuna curry) |
Simmered diced tuna curries with onions and coconut milk. Tuna is made into a thick brown paste called rihaakuru - a cooking staple. |
Burma |
Pyu, Mon |
Kari kambing (onion mutton curry) |
Meat and fish onion and chili curries lacking in coconut milk. Oil-rich curries predominate to aid in preservation and Indian style hot curries can be found in the North. |
Indonesia |
Java, Sumatra |
Rendang (caramelized beef dry curry) |
Regional opor and gulai curries. Brains, spleen, tripe, cassava, cattle fat, lung, fern leaf, bone marrow, cow tendon, stomach, red snapper head, intestines, cow foot. Indonesians will curry anything :) |
Malaysia |
Kuala Lampur |
Rendang |
Mutton, chicken, shrimp, cuttlefish, fish, eggplant, egg, and vegetable curries rich in turmeric, tamarind, shallots, ginger, belacan (shrimp paste - it's really good!), chili peppers, and garlic. |
Philippines |
Western North, Islamic South |
Kulma (korma) |
Curry influences traditional local dishes such as adobo, kaldereta, and mechado, often complimented with potatoes, bay leaf, coconut milk, and sometimes lemongrass and carrots. |
Thailand |
Bangkok |
Kaeng |
Highly aromatic curries described by their color, including:
- Yellow curry
- Massaman curry
- Green curry
- Red curry
- Phanaeng curry
- Khao soi
- Kaeng hangle
- Kaeng som
Local ingredients are often used, including chili peppers, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal (a highly potent form of ginger). |
Vietnam |
Hồ Chí Minh City |
Cà ri (pronounced kuh-ri) |
Vietnamese curry features coconut milk, potato, sweet potato, taro roots, chicken garnished with cilantro and green onion and is more soup-like than Indian curry. It's usually eaten with a baguette, rice vermicelli or steamed rice. |
China |
Hong Kong |
Galimian (curry noodles) |
Yellow curry influenced dishes which probably came to China from Singapore and Malaysia to the south. White pepper, soy sauce, hot sauce, and/or hot chili oil may be applied to the sauce to enhance the flavour of the curry. |
Fiji |
Suva |
Roti (bread) with curry & chutneys |
Fish, dal (lentil) and vegetable curries. A staple of the islands - roti and curry is most often the workman's choice for lunch. |
Japan |
Honshu |
Karé (カレー karē) raisu (rice) |
Brought by British trading ships during the Meiji Restoration, curry is highly popular in Japan, who prefer a milder "gravy" style rendition. The Japanese people eat curry 78 times a year, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force traditionally has curry every Friday for lunch. |