A combination of dry ground blend of many spices cooked slowly in butter and oil or sour milk before adding the fish, meat, eggs, or vegetables that are to be curried.
In India, where it originated, recipes for curry powder vary from region to region and even from caste to caste. As a result, importers and manufacturers in Europe struggled for centuries to standardize the seasoning’s recipe. They finally succeeded in obliterating variety when, at the 1889 Universal Paris Exhibition, a fixed formula was established by joint international legislation: two parts of mustard, two of pepper, two of cumin, three of fenugreek, three of turmeric, five of chili pepper, twenty of coriander, thirty-four of tamarind, and forty-four of onion. The Tamil name of the seasoning—kari, meaning sauce—is the source of its English name, which first appeared in the late sixteenth century.
This cuisine originating from the East, particularly India, is heavily imbued with a medley of seasonings and spices, several of which are cultivated in India and adjacent areas. It is distinguished by its piquant and frequently fiery flavor, as well as its dual attributes of sweetness and acidity.