Once you get the hang of cooking delicious curry, you’ll come to realise that making a vegetable-packed, perfectly spiced sauce with rice or naan is just as easy as resorting to a simple pasta dish on those days when you don’t feel motivated to craft a wholesome meal.
The noun ‘curry’ originates from the Tamil ‘kari’ which translates to ‘sauce’. Traditional curries vary across regions and continents. Northern Indian cuisine reflects a Mughal influence and tends to use lots of dairy, especially paneer.
Western Indian cuisine is beloved for its fish and coconut-based dishes, but it’s southwestern India in particular that makes the most use of fishy dishes due to its coastal influence. While Gujarat in the northwest is particularly known for vegetarian curries, its proximity to Rajasthan sees some overlap with meat and poultry-based dishes.
It’s impossible to simplify the vast and varied culinary traditions of the subcontinent, especially when sweeter Thai, Chinese and Japanese curry traditions are brought into the equation. A classic, easy-to-follow curry base for beginners normally consists of chopped onions, ginger and garlic. What truly makes curry, however, is the spice blend.
While most Indian curry spice blends will include turmeric, ginger, cumin, and black pepper, there are an endless number of fabulous spice blends which are used to create different beloved curries.
According to Sukhi’s kitchen, Tikka Masala powder is one of the more mild spice blends which is usually used in tomato-based curries and is made up of coriander, paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper.
Sambhar Masala powder, on the other hand, is a spicy southern Indian blend which includes toor dal, chana dal, coriander, fenugreek, pepper, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, and turmeric. Don’t worry, there won’t be a test at the end of this article.
Instead, we’re going to introduce you to a selection of curry cookbooks which walk readers through the most famous spice blends in various provinces throughout India, before providing unique, innovative and traditional curry recipes to try at home. Keep scrolling to keep calm and curry on.
Curry Easy by Madhur Jaffrey
Otherwise known as the Queen of Curry, Madhur Jaffrey delivers an eye-watering 175 different quick and easy curry recipes to master in this classic cookbook. Illustrated with gorgeous photography and complete with mouth-watering descriptions, you’ll never again struggle to come up with a new and exciting curry dish to serve dinner guests at home. Recipes include a delicious prawn curry from Goa, Sri Lankan beef with coconut milk, creamy potato and pea curry, and so much more.
Buy now £18.87, Amazon
Curry Everyday: Over 100 Simple Vegetarian Recipes from Jaipur to Japan
There’s no better way to explore the vast and varied geographical history of the humble curry than in Atul Kochhar’s Curry Everyday. Each and every delicious curry in Kocchar’s compendium is vegetarian, ranging from a mango curry from Cambodia, to an aubergine katsu from Japan, to bunny chow from South Africa and Bengali daal from East India. The Michelin star-winning chef showcases culinary diversity like never before in this highly evocative feat.
Buy now £26.00, Waterstones
Spice Kitchen by Sanjay Aggarwal
“The best way to increase flavour in a dish is to add spice. And it doesn’t have to be complicated – including one spice blend can elevate an ordinary recipe to an instant crowd pleaser,” says Sanjay Aggarwal in this fantastic, home kitchen-elevating cookbook. Spice Kitchen demystifies the often intimidating world of spice blends to help casual chefs spice up their culinary offering. Recipes include Harissa Chickpea Stew, Fiery Blackened Cajun Chicken and Mamma Spice’s Dal Makhani, as well as the secret behind the chef’s own award-winning spice blends.
Buy now £16.34, Amazon
Made in India by Meera Sodha
From classic street food recipes to fragrant curries, Meera Sodha covers it all in her critically acclaimed cookbook Made in India. The Guardian columnist introduces readers to proper British-Indian home cooking with over 130 different easy-to-follow recipes, collated from three generations of her family. As Sodha puts it herself in the introduction, “An Indian kitchen can be anywhere in the world. Mine just happens to be in London.”
We’re particularly fond of the ‘Cooking in Advance’ section which includes recipes like Slow-cooked Red Pepper and Paneer Curry, Mum’s Chicken Curry and Howrah Express Cinnamon Lamb Curry.
Buy now £17.17, Amazon
Curry Guy Thai
Lovers of Asian food will no doubt have heard of The Curry Guy, the iconic chef detailing curry recipes from around the world. Now, Dan Toombs is back with his latest take on Thai food that features over 100 recipes inspired by your favourite takeaways and restaurants.
The perfect balance of sweet and sour with just the right amount of saltiness, these recipes will quickly become a weekly staple, particularly the Pad Thai and Yellow Chicken Curry. Thanks to the nature of home-cooked food, these meals are relatively healthy and are packed with goodness.
Spend some time trying out recipes from the sauces and garnishes section - there are plenty of curry paste instructions that, once made, can be stored for months and are guaranteed to elevate your homemade Thai meals beyond belief.
Buy now £11.08, Amazon
Curry Guy One Pot by Dan Toombs
With two decades of travel-based research into the best curries across the world, it’s safe to say that Dan Toombs – otherwise known as The Curry Guy – can offer an authoritative perspective on the subject. In One Pot, Toombs collates over 150 recipes from his lifetime of global travels. Unbeatably moreish recipes include Malaysian Devil Curry, Sri Lankan Black Pork Curry, Cape Malay Bobotie and even Hungarian Goulash.
Buy now £18.97, Amazon
Spice Box by Sunil Ghai
Ireland’s beloved Indian chef Sunil Ghai not only introduces readers to the art of utilising spices that can be bought from anywhere, but follows up this didactic masterpiece with over 100 easy-to-make recipes. You’ll be making Ghai’s oh-so comforting easy butter chicken every Sunday from the moment you open this cookbook; we can guarantee it.
Buy now £22.00, Waterstones
Dishoom: The first ever cookbook from the much-loved Indian restaurant
Transforming the Indian restaurant landscape in the UK, Dishoom’s homage to its Iranian version of Mumbai has won over those looking for affordable and delicious traditional Indian meals.
This cookbook finally spills the secrets of much-loved comfort dishes such as the Bacon Naan Roll, Okra Fries and Chicken Ruby. With recipes on how to make your own Garam Masala spice blend, ginger paste and Masala sauce, this cookbook is an absolute must for those who want to nail the basics of Indian cooking as well as create impressive dishes for their friends and family.
Alongside beautifully curated recipes comes a tale of eating and drinking in Bombay with beautiful photography, a pull-out poster and charming tales of such a culturally and culinary rich country.
Buy now £18.90, Amazon
The Nutmeg Trail
Spices are integral to Asian cooking. It’s not all about heat, spices can add depth, flavour and layers to cooking, as this wonderful cookbook reveals.
Taking the reader on a historical journey, this book features 80 recipes that profile various spices and show how they can be used and combined to create flavoursome recipes you won’t believe have come out of your kitchen. This book is an exploration of the entire Asian continent and shows how spice and culture have become interwoven over the centuries.
Try the Tandoori Roast Chicken to liven up a Sunday lunch, or for those who can handle the heat, the delicious Rica Rica Prawns offer a beautiful kick.
Buy now £17.90, Amazon
Rosa's Thai Cafe
From the founder of award-winning cafe group Rosa’s, comes a cookbook packed to the brim with iconic, authentic and much-loved Thai dishes. Alongside the 100 recipes, there are dedicated sections on cooking techniques and stocking your pantry - useful information for Thai food lovers.
We love that there’s a little bit of everything in this book. From small bites and salads to curries and grills, you’ll find something to tickle your taste buds regardless of the time of day. Our absolute favourite dish is the Beef Massaman Curry that melts in your mouth (we’re not exaggerating!). For something lighter or the perfect dish to serve for big groups, try the Soft Shell Crab Salad or Larb Spring Rolls that can be prepped ahead of time and rustled up in a matter of minutes.
Ditch the shop-bought sauces and condiments because the homemade Sriracha will blow your mind.
Buy now £13.49, Amazon
