Curry of the World
India gave the world its curries, Britain gave it a word for all of them, and every country that borrowed one changed it: Japan made a roux, Jamaica used goat, and America reached for coconut milk and a jar of curry powder. Here is every style, step by step.
Indian Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
Yogurt-coated chicken thighs broiled until charred at the edges, then folded into a smooth, gently spiced tomato sauce finished with cream and butter, the Delhi restaurant classic made with a home broiler instead of a tandoor.
Home-Style Indian Chicken Curry (Tamatar Murghi)
Raghavan Iyer's everyday chicken curry: onion, garlic and ginger browned in a skillet, a spice blend you grind yourself, tomatoes and a splash of half-and-half blended into a velvety orange sauce, with chicken simmered in it until just done.
Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Gaeng Khiao Waan Gai)
Green curry paste fried in coconut cream until the oil breaks free, then simmered with chicken thighs, makrut lime leaves and crisp Thai eggplants and finished with a handful of Thai basil: savory and spicy first, only faintly sweet.
Japanese Curry Rice (Kare Raisu)
Chicken thighs, potatoes and carrots simmered in broth and thickened at the end with a homemade curry roux of butter, flour, warm spices and miso, served the Japanese way: rice on one side of the bowl, curry on the other.
Jamaican Curry Goat
Bone-in goat marinated overnight in curry powder, allspice, thyme, garlic, ginger and scallions, browned and simmered for hours with a whole Scotch bonnet, then finished with potatoes until the meat falls from the bone.
Beef Rendang
Chunks of beef chuck braised in coconut milk with a paste of shallots, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, chiles and lime leaves until every drop of liquid is gone and the meat fries, dark and caramelized, in the coconut fat.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Spice-rubbed chicken breasts coated in garlicky yogurt and charred under the broiler, then cut up and stirred into a creamy, gently spiced tomato masala sauce: the British curry house favorite made at home.
Country Captain Chicken
Curry-rubbed bone-in chicken thighs browned in bacon fat and baked in a sweet-sour curried tomato sauce with green peppers and raisins, then topped with almonds and coconut toasted with cumin and coriander seeds.
Takeout-Style Red Curry Chicken
Chicken thighs glazed with fish sauce and brown sugar and seared hard, red peppers and onion charred in the same skillet, then everything simmered briefly in red curry paste and a can of coconut milk with lime: the Thai restaurant order Americans know, in 30 minutes.
One-Pot Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk and Peas
Bone-in chicken browned in a Dutch oven, then braised in a curry-powder base of onion, garlic, jalapeño, ginger and tomato paste, and finished with coconut milk, butter, fresh tomatoes and peas: the American home cook's curry, all in one pot.
30-Minute Chicken Curry with Green Beans
Browned chunks of chicken thigh, green beans and red pepper simmered in a quick sauce of curry powder, garlic, canned tomato sauce and broth, one skillet and done in 30 minutes.
Takeout-Style Chinese Chicken Curry
A takeout-style copycat from no particular restaurant: velvety stir-fried chicken and soft onion wedges in a glossy, bright yellow curry sauce thickened with cornstarch, ready in 20 minutes to spoon over rice.