What is curry? [3 Main Podi's]

On occasion I run into someone who tells me that they have tried a curry dish at their local indian or asian restaurant. Unfortunately the resulting experience either deters them from sampling curries in the future or confuses them when they try curries at other establishments .

This leads me to seek out clarification on the basic question: "what is curry?".

Curry is a very generic term that used to describe a masala (or mixture) of a variety of spices used in indian or asian cooking. Curries are very regional and can vary dramatically from one community to another.

Most indian families have their own mixtures and "family secret masala's". Don't be afraid to take a recipe and vary the levels of the spices to create your own secret masala.

Three main podi's you will find in south indian dishes include:

1) Coriander powder (mostly)
2) Chili powder (based on desired spice level)
3) Turmeric powder (pinch)
*** Garam masala powder (pinch)-in some cases a 4th podi is added to the mix.

Keep these podi's stocked in your spice rack.