The Indian curry is a hot fav in any part of the world and is also among the most discussed dishes. People far away from the country and also the Indian sub-continent have often heard about the curry without even having seen it leave alone have any knowledge about it!
What is curry?
There can be an assortment of curries in veg and non-veg domains. The first thing that one has to understand is that the famous Indian “curry” is not a dish in itself. The thick, spicy and tangy gravy made with an assortment of spices that accompany the vegetables, chicken or meat is what Indians refer to as curry.
Popular dishes that have curry in them are usually listed under the main course with the bread and rice either as the main course or separately under their respective heads. According to Indian tradition, it is the rice or the bread that are chosen first and then the curries. But for those that live away from the country, the craving for a dish with the curry may be so high that it is chosen first and then the bread or rice dish.
How is the curry eaten?
In either case, the savory vegetarian or non-vegetarian curries are best enjoyed with:
White Rice: Aromatic rice is boiled and served steaming hot with the curries that you wish to enjoy. The plain rice brings when mixed and had with the curry helps bring out the authentic taste of the herbs and spices used to prepare it.
Biriyani: This is among the most popular of rice-based Indian dishes that is enjoyed as a main course with chicken or meat curry as side dishes. The biryani itself is spiced with an assortment of ingredients along with onion and chunks or meat or chicken. The dish can also be customized for vegetarians with potatoes substituting the non-veg ingredient. Its rich aroma and delectable taste become even more exotic with a chicken or meat curry along with it.
Parathas: This is a savory Indian bread where the dough is rolled either with other ingredients mixed in it or the plain dough flattened out as concentric circles and lightly fried on a flat pan. They are enjoyed hot with the curries veg or non-veg as per choice and taste. The savory curries are lapped up with the torn pieces of parathas and enjoyed as the bread further enhances the taste of the different spices used in it.
Naan: Yet another variant of Indian bread, they are leavened in the oven with accompaniments like garlic, coriander or others or as a plain variant. They are baked in the oven and then topped with butter, cheese or even stuffed with nuts, jaggery or spices as per the demands of the recipe.
Roti: These are whole wheat bread where the dough is rolled out into flat rounds and baked in the clay oven. The Tandoori roti is a special variant where the dough is extended into a paper-thin layer by making it fly in the air with hands extending it as it moves. The large dough sheet is then placed on a large round-shaped vessel that is overturned on the oven to bake and folded before serving. The thin bread brings out the taste of any curry at its best.
Accompaniments with curry, rice or bread
Curries that is enjoyed with rice or bread also taste good when you have the accompaniment of Raita or Salads. Raita is curd that is beaten with salt and a mix of onion or other ingredients as the name suggests. Salads mainly consist of a mix of cucumber, onion and tomatoes with a dash of lime and salt on top. These accompaniments help in the digestion of the spicy curries, meat and of course the heavy biryani and parathas.
Whichever way you wish to enjoy any vegetarian or non-vegetarian curry – with rice or bread, you can never forget its tangy and spicy taste and are sure to crave for more!