20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (2024)

Curries are as complex and varied as the many countries they hail from; indeed, even the very term "curry" conjures disparate definitions depending on who you ask. A curry dish can contain curry leaves or not; maybe it has curry powder in it, or maybe it's another specific blend of bold flavors. Some are saucy or soupy, and some, not so much. But we're not here to argue. We've rounded up a selection of our favorite dishes that fall under the curry umbrella, from Swahili vegetable curry to Indian-spiced halibut, with flavors from Kenya, Malaysia, New Orleans, India, Japan, Thailand, the Caribbean, and more.

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Aloo Matar (Indian Potato and Green Pea Curry)

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (1)

A blend of fresh ginger, garlic, and jalapeño chile forms the aromatic base for this vegetarian curry from chef Chintan Pandya of New York's Dhamaka. Studded with russet potatoes and sweet green peas, Aloo Matar is rich and satisfying, with a touch of warm ghee stirred in just before serving.

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Grilled Pork Tenderloins with Vegetable Curry

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Instead of using coconut milk, New Orleans chef Sue Zemanick substitutes coconut water and a touch of full-fat sour cream to add richness to this curry sauce. Lime juice and red curry paste contribute superb tanginess and flavor, too.

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03of 20

Shrimp Curry with Coconut, Mustard Seeds, and Chiles

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (3)

Not to be confused with curry powder (the premixed spice blend dating back to the British colonists), the dish curry originated on the Indian subcontinent. Most recipes feature copious individual spices, herbs, and chiles, and many (but not all) are saucy. This variation from the state of Kerala in southwest India isn't simmered with the north's rich dairy (no yogurt or cream). It's lighter but deeply flavored with the hallmarks of the region's coastal cooking: shredded coconut, fresh curry leaves, mustard seeds, and raw rice toasted and used like a spice.

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04of 20

Pork and Pineapple Coconut Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (4)

Star blogger David Lebovitz smartly stirs a little peanut butter into his coconut pork curry to cut the sweetness of the coconut milk. He likes making big batches of curry so he can eat leftovers the next day.

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05of 20

Lemongrass Beef Skewers with Ginger and Shallots

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (5)

A deeply flavorful homemade curry paste, inspired by chef Christina Nguyen's trips to Bali, is essential to the complex, delicious flavor of these beef skewers. You'll have extra curry paste left over, and that's a good thing: You can freeze it in ice cube trays, transfer to freezer bags, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months for marinades, curries, and more.

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Coconut Curried Shrimp with Bara

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (6)

Light, airy, and slightly sweet, bara, a fried Indian-Trinidadian bread, is perfect for sopping up this spicy shrimp curry. The quick Scotch bonnet hot sauce here is intense on its own, but drizzled sparingly over the curry it adds just the right amount of heat and acidity.

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Sweet and Spicy Chicken Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (7)

This is chef Neil Perry's riff on a rich, nuanced Malaysian curry that he calls Chicken Kapitan. Because he makes the recipe with plenty of fresh and dried chiles and coconut milk, it's sweet, spicy, and altogether sublime, especially when topped with a mound of crispy fried shallots.

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Swahili Vegetable Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (8)

The South Asian spices in this vegetarian stew reflect the influence of Kenya's generations-old Indian community on the national cuisine. Feel free to substitute other vegetables based on seasonal availability.

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Hina Auntie's Chana Masala with Puri

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Roasting and grinding whole spices instead of relying on pre-ground spice powders adds unparalleled depth of flavor to this spicy chickpea dish from western India. This dish is a specialty of Hina Mody, restaurant editor Khushbu Shah's auntie who emigrated from the Indian state of Gujarat.

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Mahimahi Coconut Curry Stew with Carrots and Fennel

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (10)

Padma Lakshmi always makes extra portions of this excellent coconut-curried mahi-mahi so she can reheat it the next day and eat it over noodles, like laksa.

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Green Curry Chicken

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (11)

Chef Nigel Slater says, "The first recipe I cooked on television was this green curry. I presented it in a beautiful brass bowl I bought in Thailand. And I was so pleased with it. But my dishwasher, who is Thai, looked at it and said, 'Why did you put the food in that brass bowl? That's a bowl we use for bathing.'"

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Curry Crab Rundown

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (12)

Rundown is a classic Caribbean recipe that involves cooking foods like crab, mackerel, or lobster in coconut milk. (The word rundown refers to the simmering down of the coconut milk.)

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Creamy Indian-Spiced Halibut Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (13)

Chef Vikram Sunderam makes his own spice blend with six ingredients, including green and black cardamom, cloves, and mace. At home, substitute garam masala, the Indian spice blend that employs many of the spices Sunderam uses, to season this rich, creamy, deeply flavored dish.

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Cauliflower Curry

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Curious home cooks are looking to South Asia for inspiration. One fantastic guide is Indian-cooking expert Raghavan lyer, the author of 660 Curries. This curry draws its lively flavors from cumin, coriander, and hot green chile.

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Katsu Curry (Japanese Curry with Tonkatsu Nuggets and Fried Egg)

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (15)

Japanese cooking expert Sonoko Sakai's curry recipe is an ode to two popular Japanese dishes: curry and katsu. The key to getting the brittle, crispy skin on tonkatsu is to use panko breadcrumbs, which are much larger and coarser than Western-style breadcrumbs.The tonkatsu is served on a bed of rice flavored with curry sauce and topped with cabbage, cilantro, and a fried egg, with pickled cucumber on the side for a delicious blend of textures and flavors.

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Gang Gai Khao Mun (Thai Chicken Curry)

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (16)

Sweet, sticky coconut rice colored and flavored with green herbs pairs with this creamy Thai chicken curry from chef Nok Suntaranon. The foundation of the curry is a vibrant from-scratch curry paste — the same one used at Kalaya in Philadelphia (one of F&W's Best New Restaurants in 2020). Making your own curry paste requires a little sourcing, but the resulting flavor is well worth the effort.

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Lamb, Sweet Potato, and Coconut Mafé Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (17)

Perfectly tender lamb shoulder and creamy sweet potatoes balanced by floral coriander, warming turmeric and cumin, and piquant ginger and ground mustard make this West African curry a cozy delight. Fonio is a tiny grain that packs a nutritional punch and provides the perfect base for soaking up the flavorful curry sauce.

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Keralan Egg Curry

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (18)

Coconut milk, tomatoes, and onions add vegetal sweetness that rounds out the fruity piquancy of Kashmiri chile powder and Thai chiles in this warmly spiced egg curry. It's a South Indian dish that chef Margaret Pak of Thattu in Chicago, a 2020 F&W Best New Restaurant, first learned to make from her husband, who is originally from Kerala. For the brightest flavor, toast and grind whole spices in small batches just before adding to this curry or any dish.

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Tempered Curry-Ginger Sweet Potatoes

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"Tempering is one of the most valuable tenets of Sri Lankan cooking I learned from my mother," writes chef Sam Fore. "Whole spices, like cumin and mustard seeds, get a quick swirl in hot oil, toasting them just enough to impart big flavor in minimal time. These tempered sweet potatoes illustrate how transformative the technique is."

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Curried Pumpkin and Buss Up Shut (Paratha Roti)

20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (20)

This dish from chef Nina Compton is packed with warm spices, aromatic ginger, and rich coconut milk for a perfectly balanced bite. Fresh habanero chiles add a touch of fruity heat to the chunks of tender pumpkin and softened callaloo leaves. Buss up shut gets its name from "busted-up shirt," which describes the flatbread's torn, crinkled texture, perfect for sopping up flavorful curry.

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20 Vibrant Curry Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most delicious curry in the world? ›

BANGKOK: Thailand's phanaeng curry has been ranked the best curry in the world, according to online guide TasteAtlas.

What are the secret ingredients to a good curry? ›

Indian chef Maunika Gowardhan suggests using tomato purée, coconut milk or yoghurt as natural thickening agents to achieve the perfect consistency. Adding ground nuts such as almonds or peanuts can also be a great way to ensure your curry is a knockout.

How to make curry taste like restaurant? ›

Simple suggestions for restaurant good quality curries:
  1. Fry your onions till they are golden brown.
  2. Fry your spices but don't burn them. ...
  3. Use good quality spices. ...
  4. Seasoning. ...
  5. Use fatty yoghurt (greek style works) in curries to make them richer. ...
  6. Patience. ...
  7. Use a neutral vegetable oil. ...
  8. Experiment.
Jun 24, 2018

What is the most flavourful Indian curry? ›

If you're looking for a flavor-rich curry, try the Goan curry. This dish is made with chicken or shrimp and is usually served with rice and naan bread. It's a popular option at restaurants across the country, and it's worth trying if you're in the mood for something different.

What is the king of all curries? ›

To many, Beef Rendang is considered the king of all curries. Made with a mix of delicious aromatic herbs and spices, it offers incredibly...

What is the king of curries? ›

Thai dishes have won over the hearts of foodies all over the world. A sentiment that is shared globally and was made official in CNN's readers' poll on the “World's Best Food”, a vote which amounted to a chart of the top 100 most delicious dishes being served across the planet.

How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›

The actual sweetness and creaminess of such curries meanwhile, usually comes from fried onions and either cashews and/or dairy products. Instead of (or in addition to) onion, ground coconut may be used. White poppy seeds and/or watermelon seeds are also used in some creamy sauces.

What is the most important spice in curry? ›

Fenugreek (Methi)

This Indian spice is what people say "smells like curry." Of all Indian spices, this spice may be the most essential. You may use up to a few tablespoons in a family size dish near the end of the cooking process, but start with a teaspoon. Fenugreek seeds also have many health benefits.

What can I add to curry to make it tastier? ›

Umami is one of the basic five tastes and is often described as a meaty, savoury deliciousness that deepens a dish's flavour. Natural foods that peak umami taste receptors include tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and roasted spice. Add umami ingredients sparingly to your curry dish for a deepened and elevated flavour.

Does cooking curry longer make it taste better? ›

Let it cook for as long as possible. Simmering a curry allows time for the flavours to infuse; a long, slow simmering time generally produces the best curry.

Do onions go in curry? ›

Just about every Indian curry is about onions. They are the foundation. The spices make a curry sing but the onions are the heart.

What makes Indian curry taste authentic? ›

Indian curry is typically made with a combination of warm and fragrant spices, such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. These spices provide the foundation for the dish, and are typically toasted in oil or ghee to bring out their flavors and aromas.

What is the best meat for Indian curry? ›

As with the green curry, red lends itself well to a variety of meats including chicken or beef. Korma is a rich, creamy and slightly sweet curry best served with chunks of chicken, and on the more mild end of the curry spectrum.

What is the healthiest Indian curry to order? ›

Any Indian curries that are tomato-based, like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna, are the lowest in calories. They average around 200-300 calories. If you want an even healthier option, consider a sauce-free dish like fish tikka (which is only 180 calories).

What is the Favourite curry? ›

Mutton Curry is a popular dish and is often cooked with a variety of different spices and herbs to give it its unique flavour. The dish usually consists of mutton, tomatoes, and onions cooked in a curry sauce. Mutton curry goes well with rice or bread.

What country is curry most popular? ›

India is the home of curry, and many Indian dishes are curry-based, prepared by adding different types of vegetables, lentils, or meats.

Which curry is the spiciest curry? ›

In general, Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy, although it can sometimes vary depending on what region of Thailand you are in. Read on for my complete guide to Thai curries… and all my tips and tricks on how to dial down the heat.

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