Phanaeng curry is a variety of Thai curry that is characterized by a thick texture and salty-sweet peanut flavor. It consists of meat that is stewed with coconut milk, panang curry paste, makrut lime leaves, fish sauce, and palm sugar. The meat used in phanaeng curry is usually beef, chicken, duck, or pork, and the dish traditionally does not include any vegetables. The name of the dish is derived from the word panang, meaning cross, which refers to the ancient way of preparing chicken with its legs crossed and set in an upright position. Though the origins of phanaeng curry are somewhat murky, it is often associated with the Malaysian state of Penang, but there is little evidence to support this claim. However, the earliest known recipe is found in Maawm Sohm Jeen’s book Tam Raa Gap Khao, dating back to 1890. Once finished, the curry is garnished with thinly sliced makrut lime leaves and Thai spur chili slices, and a bit of coconut milk can be poured over the curry.
A signature dish of Northern Thailand, khao soi is a delicious coconut soup in which numerous regional influences were combined to create a truly spectacular dish. The base of the soup is a slightly spicy broth which combines coconut milk and red curry paste. The broth is served with flat egg noodles and a choice of meat, which usually includes chicken, beef, and pork. It is topped with a handful of crisp fried noodles and chopped cilantro. The dish is commonly served alongside a variety of condiments such as fresh lime, pickled cabbage, shallots, and chilis. Even though the dish originated in the north of the country, it is still not totally clear how and when this famous noodle soup was created. The most probable theory claims that khao soi is a fusion dish which originated under the influence of Chinese Muslims, traveling from the Yunnan region through Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. It is also believed that the soup is a variety of an old Myanmarese coconut soup made with rice noodles, which were also primarily used in khao soi and were later replaced with the more traditional egg noodles. Regardless of its confusing origin, today this flavorful soup is a genuine product of Northern Thailand, found in numerous eateries and restaurants across the region, representing an irreplaceable dish among the locals and a favorite among the tourists. Khao soi is also popular in the neighboring Laos. However, the Lao version employs other ingredients and is somewhat different than the Thai counterpart.
Probably the best known of all Indian dishes, murgh makhani, internationally referred to as butter chicken, is a staple dish at most Indian restaurants. The dish originated in Delhi during the 1950s, when a man named Kundan Lal Gujral opened his restaurant called Moti Mahal. The restaurant's cooks combined leftover marinade juices with tomatoes and butter, and then stewed the tandoor-cooked chicken in it, without even knowing that they have accidentally stumbled upon one of the most loved dishes ever and a future international delicacy. Moti Mahal became one of Delhi's attractions, and soon after, butter chicken spread throughout the world. With a combination of roasted meat, plenty of spices, a rich gravy made with cream, tomatoes, and butter, this dish is best accompanied by naan bread and garnished with even more butter, coriander, or green chilis.
Japanese-style curry known as karē is one of the most popular dishes in the country. It started gaining popularity in Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), when the British introduced it to the country. During its early years, karē with rice was an expensive, gourmet dish reserved only for the wealthy. Compared to Indian curries, karē is less spicy, sweeter, darker, and usually thicker, which is thanks to the addition of flour or roux. There are three main version of karē in Japan - karē raisu (curry over rice), karē udon (curry over noodles), and karē -pan (a pastry filled with curry). The most popular variety, is, as expected, karē raisu, which is usually served with fukujinzuke pickles or Japanese scallions on the side. Today, karē is so popular in Japan that it can be called a true national dish.
Katsu karē brings together steamed rice, thick curry sauce, and a crisp breaded cutlet, most commonly pork tonkatsu, on the same plate. It combines two foods that developed in Japan through yōshoku, the Japanese adaptation of Western-style cooking: curry rice and the breaded meat cutlet. Japanese curry began taking shape during the Meiji period after curry powder reached Japan through Britain rather than directly from India. British-style curry had already evolved into a thickened stew made with curry powder and flour, and in Japan this approach was further adapted to rice, eventually producing the mild, thick, slightly sweet curry sauce now associated with karē raisu. Curry also entered the diet of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the late 19th century, where meat-and-vegetable curry served with rice became part of efforts to provide sailors with more nutritionally varied meals. Tonkatsu followed another route through yōshoku cooking, developing from European-style cutlets into the distinct Japanese preparation of pork coated with flour, egg, and coarse panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp. Putting the two together seems inevitable today, but the precise first appearance of katsu karē is disputed. Kawakin in Asakusa traces a curry-and-cutlet dish called Kawakin-don to 1918, while Ōroji in Shinjuku served a similar combination called ton-don from the early 1920s. Ginza Swiss provides the best-known postwar story: in 1948, professional baseball player Shigeru Chiba, a regular customer, asked the restaurant to place a cutlet directly on his curry rice so he could eat both together, and the restaurant subsequently made the combination a regular item under the name katsu curry. Contemporary katsu karē begins with Japanese curry, usually prepared by slowly cooking onions with carrots, potatoes, and sometimes meat before thickening and seasoning the liquid with curry roux. Commercial curry roux blocks are extremely common in Japanese homes and produce the characteristic glossy, substantial sauce, while restaurants may make their own roux and spice blends. Japanese curry is generally milder and sweeter than many South Asian curries, with sweetness sometimes reinforced by grated apple, honey, or slowly cooked onion. The cutlet is prepared separately so that its exterior remains crisp. Pork loin or tenderloin is seasoned, coated with flour, dipped in beaten egg, covered generously with panko, and deep-fried until the breadcrumbs are golden and the meat is cooked through. It is then rested briefly and sliced into thick strips before being placed beside or on top of the rice. Curry sauce is spooned around or partly over the cutlet; covering only part of it allows some of the panko crust to stay crunchy, while completely covering it produces a softer crust that absorbs the sauce. Rice usually occupies one side of the plate, the curry fills the other, and the sliced cutlet forms the boundary between the two, although presentation varies considerably. Pork is the standard choice, but chicken katsu is also common, and restaurants may offer beef cutlets, shrimp, croquettes, cheese-filled cutlets, or combinations of several fried toppings. The dish can also be ordered by heat level in specialist curry shops, although the basic Japanese curry profile remains more rounded and stew-like than sharply spicy. Fukujinzuke, a sweet-and-salty assortment of finely chopped pickled vegetables, is one of the most common accompaniments, adding acidity and crunch against the rich curry and fried pork. Rakkyo, small pickled scallion bulbs with a stronger sweet-sour flavor, are another standard curry condiment. Finely shredded cabbage, familiar from tonkatsu meals, may also be served on the side, particularly when the cutlet is treated as prominently as the curry itself. Katsu karē is eaten throughout Japan in curry shops, yōshoku restaurants, casual cafeterias, railway stations, university dining halls, and homes, and its combination of rice, sauce, and fried meat makes it a complete meal rather than a dish requiring many side courses. It is best served immediately after the cutlet is fried, while the panko still contrasts with the soft rice and thick curry. A cold Japanese lager works particularly well with the fried coating and rich sauce, while unsweetened green tea or cold barley tea provides a lighter pairing.
Originating from India's Moghul cuisine, shahi paneer is a cheese curry that is prepared with paneer cheese, onions, cashews, and a rich, spicy tomato-cream sauce. The dish is typically accompanied by Indian breads such as naan, roti, or puri. Often referred to as the Royal paneer, traditionally, it is prepared during special occasions and festivities as a vegetarian main course. Rich, hearty, and nutritious, shahi paneer is commonly garnished with coriander leaves.
Malai kofta is a traditional North Indian dish consisting of fried potato and paneer balls in a creamy sauce. The dish is commonly served at festivals, celebrations, and weddings due to its rich texture and flavors. A typical dish of Mughal cuisine, developed in Medieval India by the cooks of the Mughal Empire, it is essentially a vegetarian substitute for a meatball curry, malai meaning cream, and kofta meaning dumplings. The dish is often prepared in a unique wok called a kadai, hence the other name of the dish, kadai kofta. Some food historians believe that these deep-fried dumplings have incorporated the influences of Turkish and Persian food cultures within them. The best and most usual accompaniments to malai kofta include naan bread and rice, and the dish is commonly garnished with shredded paneer and chopped coriander.
Out of all Thai curry varieties, massaman curry stands out as the mildest, sweetest, and the most unusual type. It is a combination of creamy coconut milk, meat, potatoes, and a curry paste made with roasted spices. Coconut milk is the authentic Thai element of the dish, providing a rich base for the rest of the ingredients. Since it is cooked for a long time, massaman curry usually employs thicker cuts of beef or bone-in chicken, and occasionally lamb or mutton. The list of spices commonly used in massaman is versatile and extensive. It usually employs a combination of dry spices such as cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns, mixed with fresh garlic, chili, galangal, lemongrass, tamarind paste, and palm sugar. The dark red, thick spice paste is simmered with other ingredients and gives the dish an incredibly complex and layered flavor. It is still not clear if massaman curry originated in South or Central Thailand, but it is certain that it owes its name and origin to Muslim traders from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. This is the reason why massaman curry employs a variety of fragrant oriental spices that are not common in the region. Massaman curry is usually accompanied by a bowl of steamed rice and ajad, the famous pickled cucumber side dish. Chopped or whole peanuts can also be incorporated into the dish or sprinkled on top right before serving.
Kari ayam is a chicken curry that is popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is made with chicken pieces, onions, garlic, ginger, ghee, tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices such as anise, cinnamon, curry leaves, pandan leaves, lemongrass, chilis, cumin, turmeric, and fennel. In Malaysia, kari ayam is traditionally prepared in a clay pot, because it is not reactive to the spices and allows the curry to cook in its own juices. Before serving, the dish can be sprinkled with lime juice and garnished with fresh coriander. It is recommended to serve it with rice.
Japanese curry is an extremely popular dish throughout Japan. Since the curry is almost always served with rice, one can hear the term karē raisu mentioned very often. Curry was brought over to Japan by the British in the 19th century, when Meiji-era Japan welcomed foreigners and their goods. As a result, Japanese curry is similar to the English curry, characterized by the heavy use of curry powder. The dish developed into curry rice, a rich stew of meat and vegetables (such as carrots, onions, and potatoes) which is ladled over short-grain, white rice. Common garnishes include eggplant, lotus root, and cucumbers on top. There is also a popular variation on kare raisu called katsu kare, a curry rice dish with a piece of deep-fried pork cutlet called tonkatsu placed on top.
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