Curry… the 5 letter word that is so close to my heart. A word that gets me excited, salivating and just plain Hungry. It’s engraved in my DNA. After all, I was born in the same land where curry was born. So this lady can tell you a thing or two about curries. I have eaten so much curry in my life that I can spot and identify some cracking delicious curry recipes if I see them.
Here is my list of some of the most awesome, mouthwatering, finger licking Curry Recipes from all around the world. Curry is a gypsy you know, as it has gone to the four corners of the world and been embraced with open hearts.
What is Curry?
Curry is not a single spice. The catch-all umbrella term refers to a “spiced meat, fish or vegetable stew”, which usually involves either a freshly prepared powder or spice paste or a ready-made mixture purchased from store.
The word curry most likely comes from a misunderstanding of the Southern Indian word “kari” which means a spiced dish with sautéed vegetables and meat.
In the 17th century, the Portuguese, who colonized Goa in Western India, took the word “kari” to mean a spiced stew over rice. Kari eventually became “caril” or “caree” in Portuguese, then “curry” in English.
Curry is thought to have originated as early as 2500 BC in what is modern-day Pakistan. Since then it has evolved into a truly global food, having traveled the world through colonization and immigration, indentured labor, trade and entrepreneurship.
Today curry is everywhere, from chicken tikka masala in the UK to fiery green curry in Thailand, Kare raisu in Japan to curry goat in Jamaica. If you are curry lover, follow your cravings around the world through these destinations below…
1. Chicken Masala
I am going to start you on this curry trail with a simple homestyle curry that I grew up on. This chicken masala curry has staple Indian herbs and spices.
You can make it as hot or spicy as you like by making a few adjustments, just the way you would enjoy. Pair it with a plateful of rice, perhaps some rotis or naan and you are all set.
2. Pork Vindaloo
Vindaloo is not just a curry… It’s an experience. The Portuguese imported the basic theme to this recipe to India in the early 15th century. It’s pleasantly hot, tangling, tangy and slightly sweet. It got infamous for its HEAT in curry house vindaloos of Britain.
But authentic Indian Vindaloo need not be head spinningly hot, but is a harmonious balance of sweet, sour and spice. You can make Vindaloo out of anything. Pork, chicken, beef, even shrimp. Take a look at my gorgeous bowl of pork Vindaloo. Doesn’t it make you want to dig in with some crispy fresh naan?
3. Thai Green Curry
Now this Thai Green Curry is a BOMB!! Literally, it’s a bomb when it comes to those perfect spicy, salty, umami and sweet Thai flavors…
The hugely popular and quintessential Thai food to try in any Thai restaurant, green curry is everyone’s first choice to order off the menu. When the curry cravings hit hard, make this Thai green curry with any choice of your protein, or even go meatless for vegetarian or vegan Thai curry.
4. Shrimp Korma
Korma is one of the beloved curry recipes with Moghul origins. This curry dish is very popular in North India and Pakistan. This is one you will find on every Indian restaurant menu. The word “korma” means to braise. Meat or seafood is sautéed, normally in ghee and whole spices, with the later addition of yogurt and fried onions and voila… one rich creamy lip-smacking curry.
This can be made with chicken, goat, lamb, beef or shrimp. Make this shrimp korma in your very own kitchen and find out why everybody goes WOW to Indian food..
5. Caribbean Mussel Curry
Creamy… coconutty… seefoody… Extra yummy Caribbean Coconut Mussels. Easy, delicious, and sure to please any crowd! Try this delicious Caribbean style curry, but be warned, you will get hooked!
6. Chicken Korma
Creamy, rich and finger licking, Korma is cooked slow and low with flavors created to suit the King’s palate. Korma is an iconic dish from India, with deep roots in Moghlai cuisine. Make this famous Indian curry in your kitchen and wow your friends and family.
7. Thai Shrimp Curry
This easy Thai Shrimp Curry recipe is bursting with layers of great flavor, and is surprisingly easy. Customize the hotness to your own preference.
8. Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà)
A bowl full of light, brothy curry with a golden hue!! Tender chunks of chicken, aromatic spices, some veggies in a luscious coconut milk base infused with lemon grass, garlic and fish sauce. How can that not be delicious?
Now you have my attention my friends. That’s Cà Ri Gà, or Vietnamese Chicken Curry, for you!! This curry is a perfect example of the intricate balance of flavors that Vietnamese cuisine is famous for.
9. Jamaican Curry Chicken
This Jamaican Curry Chicken is a MUST for all you fellow curry lovers. It’s super easy and absolutely loaded with great flavors!
10. Chicken Curry
Try this super simple Indian Chicken Curry recipe for an easy introduction to Indian cuisine. Tender chicken in a rich tomato-based sauce with warm spices. Perfect for a hearty meal!
Get the Recipe: Chicken Curry
11. Japanese Beef Curry
Curry is more Japanese than you think. Yes, curry is so popular in Japan that it’s regarded as one of the top two national dishes, along with ramen. Even ahead of their sushi and miso soup.
Japanese curry is nothing like other curries you have seen or imagined. It’s more like a cross between stew and curry. It’s a thick, rich, velvety and glossy concoction that’s sweet, savory and umami in nature.
12. Country Captain Chicken
Country Captain Chicken… Indian curry meets Lowcountry cooking. Simply known as Country Captain, this is a Southern Icon you may have never tasted.
Often found on tables from Charleston to Savannah, it’s a delicious Southern curried chicken simmered in tomato sauce, a simple dish layered with vibrant spices resulting in amazing flavors.
13. Beef Massaman Curry
Beef Massaman Curry stands out in Thai cuisine. It’s not the usual fiery, run-for-water kind of spicy curry. I love how it combines tender chunks of beef with a rich, creamy sauce and aromatic spices.
Get the Recipe: Beef Massaman Curry
14. Palak Paneer (Spinach with cottage cheese)
Have you tried Indian cottage cheese, aka paneer? It’s so delicious that it invariably finds its way into many Indian curries, especially meatless ones. This time, these soft cheese cubes are simmered in the most flavorful spinach you will ever have.
15. Trinidad Chicken Curry
This curry chicken from the Caribbean island country of Trinidad hits close to home. Curry powder and fresh herbs and aromatics in their green seasoning form the base of this super simple chicken affair.
16. Jamaican Curry Shrimp
Look at this Curry Bowl!! Bold and insanely inviting! My ultimate comfort food, Jamaican Curry Shrimp, is a vibrant, spicy, and incredibly flavorful dish that perfectly captures the essence of Caribbean cuisine.
17. Chicken Caldereta
Another Filipino favorite of mine. This one is a coconut based curry/stew packed with tons of flavors and veggie power. Mild and delicious.
18. Katsu Curry
Katsu Curry is total comfort food with a Japanese twist. Crispy fried chicken or pork cutlet with a rich flavorful gravy, all atop a bed of rice. It can’t get much better than that!
The combination of flavors and textures are just perfect in this dish, which is also known as Katsukarē.
19. Filipino Pork Adobo
This pork curry recipe comes together with very few simple Asian staple ingredients. It’s braised till the pork is fork tender fork and melts in your mouth… Delish.
20. Maafe
Do you know you can actually cook with peanut butter? Yes, you can… the African way! This West African maafe, or mafe, is one of the creamiest and yummiest dish you will ever make in your kitchen. Its loaded with rich savory flavors.
Any meat of your choice goes great in this perfectly spiced peanut butter and tomato based sauce.
21. Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
Sri Lanka has a long relationship with curry, like it’s neighbors. Thousands of indentured laborers from South India migrated to this neighboring country to work on spice, coffee and sugar plantations owned by Britishers. Over the years, curry developed in a rainbow of colors here, from bright yellow to creamy white, bright red and rich brown.
Sri Lankans love their spices and it shows in their food. Many of them make their own blend of spices and this Sri Lankan curry powder is nothing but a blend of all your regular spices. You can use the same recipe for any of protein of your choice. I make chicken and shrimp curry all the time with the following recipe. It’s absolutely delicious.
22. Beef Kheema (Indian Ground Beef with Peas)
Kheema, or Qeema, is to Indians and Pakistanis what chili is to Americans and Picadillo is to the Spanish. Here it’s just a regular array of spices and a few regular aromatics with ground meat. In a Hindu majority county like India, ground goat meat or lamb is commonly used, while in Pakistan ground beef is more preferred.
I love a plateful of this delicious minced meat with local bread called “pav”, which is like a dinner roll. Try making this great recipe with the ground meat of your choice.
23. Kedjenou Chicken
Kedjenou is a beloved stew from the Ivory Coast. It’s so simple, yet so spectacularly tasty. Do you want it spicy? Oh, I will show you how to make it spicy!
24. Dal Tadka (Yellow Indian Lentils )
This simple, yellow thing with a plateful of rice in the ultimate comfort food to 1.2 billion of us. This is an every day affair. There are countless varieties ranging from state to state and household to household.
This dal tadka is made in the style you often get in Indian restaurants. Once you give these yellow a lentils try, you wont try them in other boring ways. It has all the sizzle, aroma and flavors.
25. South African Chicken Curry
A milder and sweeter alternative to Indian and Caribbean curries, this South African Chicken Curry is still jam packed with flavor! This South African Chicken Curry doesn’t even come close to anything you’ve known before. It’s a completely different flavor, yet so delectable!
This one is mild and sweet, albeit with loads of curry powder, reminding you of that curry flavor every single bite.
26. Pork Menudo
Menudo is a comfy-cozy tomatoey porky Filipino stew, where a fatty cut of pork is simmered for a long time in a tomato based sauce. Result? A rich delicious pot full of aromatics with the usual veggies and not so usual presence of garbanzos and raisins. Very interesting… and tasty!
27. Chicken Asado
This Filipino Chicken Asado is simple in nature, yet there are so many flavors going on at the same time. It’s a brilliant combination of tangy, sweet, sour and savory. The chicken is marinated in citrus juice and soy sauce as the main flavor boosters, then braised to perfection in a tomato sauce until the meat is tender and fall off the bone…
28. Creamy Vegetable Korma
This Korma is a creamy cashew based curry with a medley of veggies that would pair perfectly with rice or your favorite naan bread.
29. Leftover Turkey Tikka Masala
Try something new with your holiday leftovers this year! This Turkey Tikka Masala, with it’s flavorful yet mild beloved sauce, will make you wish you bought a bigger bird!
30. Methi Chicken
Methi Chicken, or Methi Murgh, is a delicious Indian curry with a creamy yogurt and cashew base, enhanced with the unique flavor of methi leaves.
Get the Recipe: Methi Chicken
31. Butter Chicken
Probably one of the best known curry recipes to anyone going to an Indian restaurant, and probably the first someone might try as it doesn’t look as intimidating as some of the other fiery contenders.
Tender and juicy grilled or roasted chicken morsels, marinated in spiced and herbed yogurt, and later mixed in one of the creamiest and most decadent tasting tomatoey sauces. Life cant get better!! This one is the MOST popular in its homeland, as well as all over the world.
Get the Recipe at Cafe Delites
32. Rogan Josh
Mutton is what we lovingly call our goat meat. It’s extremely popular in India. I grew up having a goat meat dish once a week, usually on Sunday, which is when families make their favorite or special meal.
Rogan Josh comes from the Kashmir region of India. Succulent pieces of goat or lamb is braised in a gravy flavored with aromatic spices like fennel, cloves, cardamom and ginger.
Don’t get scared by its fiery red color! The culprit for that red color is Kashmiri red chilies, which are know for their vibrant color rather than heat. Give this a try with lamb, which is more easily available.
Get the Recipe at Picture the Recipe
33. Egg Curry Masala
Now you may ask me, you curry the eggs too?? 🙂 Yes we do! 🙂 We curry practically everything…
Try making your eggs apart from scrambling or poaching… Indian style! They are delicious. Simple hard boiled eggs in our masala curry base. Hmmm, I can eat this one any day and every day.
Get the Recipe at My Tasty Curry
34. Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
Here is a delight for vegetarians. This chickpea curry, aka chana masala, is a fine example of why Indian cuisine is the way to go if you are thinking of going meatless. There is simply so may choices and ways to make anything so delicious and interesting. The great thing is, it doesn’t need to be spicy and hot, just as much as you like. 🙂
Cook your chickpeas in this easy one pot curry and scarf it down with bowlful of rice or naan roti.
Get the Recipe at Minimalist Baker
35. Prawn/Shrimp Moilee
This shrimp dish holds a special place in our home, as its my husband’s favorite curry. He chows down pretty much all curries, hot, spicy, et all. But this one is special, as he tried it for the first time on our Honeymoon in Kerala. We ended up getting the recipe from the chef at the resort we stayed in. Now it’s one of our regulars.
It’s delicate, fragrant and fresh with jumbo shrimp in a coconut based gravy with minimum spices. The following recipe comes very close to what we had in Kerala.
36. Chicken Tikka Masala
The origin of this creation is debated, with both India and Britain claiming it to be theirs. But most believe it was probably created in one of the Indian or Bangladeshi restaurants that sprung up in Britain in the mid 1900s. Whatever the debate, it’s equally loved on both continents.
These aromatic chicken chunks in creamy tomatoeey sauce might remind you a little bit of butter chicken, but there are subtle differences. I absolutely love the recipe below and it will show how easy it is to recreate one of the very iconic dishes in your kitchen.
Get the Recipe at Cafe Delites
37. Beef Bhuna
Another famous curry house favorite from Britain. This beef bhuna is a delicious, spicy, thick sauced beef slow cooked in a tomato based gravy. Imagine it atop some cashew rice or with fresh crispy naan… yum.
38. Beef Rendang
This authentic beef rendang recipe is a spicy, rich and creamy Malaysian/Indonesian beef stew made with beef, spices and coconut milk. A must try for curry lovers like me.
Get the Recipe at Rasa Malaysia
39. Chinese Chicken Curry
Have you ever wonder if they make curry in China? Apparently they do! This one comes along quick like their stir fries. 🙂 Who wouldn’t want easy, quick and delicious?
40. Cambodian Chicken Curry (Somlar kari saek mouan)
Somlar kari saek mouan is a deliciously spiced Cambodian chicken curry that is prepared with a fragrant red curry paste known as kroeung kraham. Life is so much more interesting with all these unique and different flavors happening in your kitchen.
Get the Recipe @ houseofnasheats
41. Penang Curry
Thai Panang Chicken Curry is just like you would get in any Asian restaurant. Give this amazing red chicken curry a try. It’s much easier than you would think.
Get the Recipe at A Spicy Perspective
42. Malaysian Kapitan Chicken
Kapitan chicken (Ayam Kapitan in Malay) is truly a Malaysian curry, the amalgamation of the diverse array of Malay, Chinese and Indian eating culture. A harmonious blend of spices with a few Asian aromatics like kaffir leaves, lemon grass blend beautifully with chicken braised in coconut milk.
Get the Recipe at Marion’s Kitchen
43. Cape Malay Curry
Spice up chicken thighs in a South African curry, packed with flavorful spices from the Malay district in Cape Town, South Africa. This one pot Cape Malay Chicken Curry will tickle your taste buds with a unique mix of spices.
Get the Recipe at Beyond Kimchee
44. Mauritius Prawn Rougaille
Mauritius prawn rougaille is super easy to make and it is so delicious, hitting all the notes that Mauritius cuisine is famous for. It is a classic Creole sauce. This is an easy shrimp dish with super simple ingredients for a quick weeknight dinner.
Get the Recipe at International Cuisine
Well there you go… Curries from one end of the world to the other. Curries that are loved, cherished and passed from generation to generation.
Bring them into your life and enjoy the different flavors. Don’t shy away from unfamiliar ingredients, if you miss one or two spices or herbs, still give it a try. I promise you, it’s going to be an awesome curry night!!
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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