What is Indian Curry?

People often think of Indian curry as a spice that brings traditional Indian dishes to life. Did you know that Indian curry is not a flavorful spice but a sauce, kind of like gravy. When you think of traditional gravy, many different dishes, tastes, textures, and scents come to your mind. Just like gravy, Indian curry is made in many different ways with a blend of spices and sauces, served over rice with vegetables, meat, or tofu and can bring an entire dish to life.

Curry is one of the most comforting Indian foods, especially if you find a dish that tastes authentic and homemade. Let’s explore the taste of curry and the different dishes that are made with it.

What does Curry Taste Like?

In India, curry dishes can taste different based on your region, the blend of spices used, and cooking techniques. Three factors determine what a curry tastes like:

1. Type of spices: Curry dishes are made with various of spices and the spices can range from mild to stronger and spicy. South Indian curries use dry red chilies, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves. North Indian curries use coriander leaves, cumin, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, and dried fenugreek leaves.

2. Consistency of spices: Fresh spices and herbs bring a lot of flavor to a dish rather than using dried spices. Traditional curry dishes are made with fresh spices like onions, garlic, and ginger.

3. Consistency of spices: Using spices like chilies can give the curry a sweet taste. The base can also be creamy if heavy cream, cashews, or coconut milk is used. To make a milder curry, you can start with a tomato base. To make your curry a little more spicy, add hot curry powders or chili peppers.

Is Indian Curry Spicy?

Indian curry dishes can range from mild to very spicy, depending on the recipe and the spices used. Typically, curry is heavily spiced and never lacks flavor. The amount and type of spices used can adjust the level of heat you would like. An easy way to make spicy curry is by adding extra chili peppers. If you use spices or curry pastes from the grocery store or online, you can make them spicier up by adding fresh peppers like jalapeno, serrano, habanero, or Scotch bonnet.

What are Indian Dishes Made With Curry?

Curry is the base of many traditional Indian dishes. The most popular Indian Curry dishes are:

A dhansak curry has a sweet and sour flavor and is a little spicy. It can be served with a pineapple ring as a garnish to add sweetness.

Tikka Masala might be the universal dish served in all Indian restaurants. Tikka is chicken or other meat cooked in a tandoor on a skewer, and masala is the creamy sauce or curry, that the meat is soaked in.

Saag is a spicy curry dish made with spinach, mustard greens, and other leafy vegetables.

Korma curry, a dish known for its rich and creamy texture, is a delightful blend of cardamom, cinnamon, butter, and cream combined with slow-cooked, marinated meats, giving you bold flavor in every bite.

Jalfrezi curry is made with green chiles, tomato, onion, and coriander and has a strong flavor, but it not too spicy.

Vindaloo is a traditional Indian curry made with chunks of beef that are slow-cooked in a spicy red sauce with bold curry flavors.

Popular Chef Bombay Curry Dishes

Chef Bombay makes delicious frozen meals with a blend of Indian flavors and spices crafted with the best, all-natural ingredients. Some popular curry dishes by Chef Bombay include:

Butter Chicken: Our butter chicken is so good you won’t even know it’s frozen. It is made with tender pieces of chicken breast in a rich, creamy sauce spiced with authentic Indian spices, such as garlic, ginger, butter, spices, salt, sugar, and citric acid.

Chicken Tikka Masala: Tikka Masala is one of the most popular Indian curries worldwide and one of our best-selling dishes. Our chicken tikka masala is made with tender pieces of chicken breast in a perfectly spiced tikka sauce.
Beef Vindaloo: Our beef vindaloo is prepared with earthy spices like ginger, vinegar, cilantro, salt, citric acid, and sugar.
Palak Paneer: This is a popular vegetarian curry made with paneer cheese in a creamy spinach curry served with turmeric rice. The ingredients include paneer, spinach, onions, whipping cream, tomatoes, water, canola oil, butter, spices, garlic, ginger, salt, and sugar.

Indian curry is packed with flavor, and the taste varies by region. Whether you love spicy or prefer something milder, there's a curry dish for everyone. Chef Bombay offers authentic curry dishes made with traditional Indian flavors and spices, bringing the homemade taste of authentic Indian dishes to your kitchen table without a long cooking time or a mess.