Around the World in 50 Curries by Jimmy Guo
We all have our own idea of what goes into a good curry – from our favourite spices to how much heat we can handle. For those ready to explore a different approach, chef and food creator Jimmy Guo shares new ingredients and flavours influenced by curries from across Asia and beyond.
We may think we know where curry comes from, but according to Guo the story is complex.
The mere mention of the word ‘curry’ brings out both feelings and questions … curry as a dish … [has] a long, motley history of migration and adaptation.
Guo briefly covers the evolution of curry, referring to the value of spices as trading goods, trade migration, military colonisation, and cultural appropriation. He’s a food writer at heart (this is his second book), and his focus is firmly on recipes inspired by curries from India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Japan. A short “Rest of the World” chapter rounds things out with recipes from destinations as diverse as Sweden and East Africa, as well as the curry-based filling for Coronation Chicken sandwiches.
Each of the five main countries has its own section in the book. Guo begins by describing the spices or other items that are essential to that country’s curries, alongside photographs of these key ingredients. It’s interesting to get an insight into the spices that different countries have in common, as well as those that are used only in certain places. Most ingredients in Guo’s book should be easy to find in Aotearoa | New Zealand, if not at the supermarket then at an Asian grocery store or spice shop.
Don’t be put off, Guo says, by the long list of ingredients needed to prepare curries. Check your pantry – your spices must be fresh!
…get rid of any spice jars whose best-before dates passed a decade ago.
For each recipe, Guo outlines the spice level and flavour profile (Chicken Tikka Masala is “creamy, tomatoey, [with] warm spices”; Kaeng Pa Moo is “intensely aromatic, funky and salty”). He also suggests alternative ingredients. For example, instead of using chicken in the Tikka Masala, he recommends paneer or cauliflower. There’s a little guesswork involved: Guo doesn’t say how these two ingredients should be prepared or when to add them to the sauce, so you’ll need to trust your instincts.
Most recipes prioritise rich and complex flavours, including the Bone Marrow Varuval that Guo describes as “a decadent and pretty powerful affair”. Some recipes rely on cream, ghee, and coconut milk to intensify the taste, and one of the breads includes sweetened condensed milk.
Condiments are country-specific and include Pol Sambol, Som Tum (Green Papaya Salad) and Raita. There are recipes for rice, and breads such as chapati, naan and roti canai (paratha). Guo suggests other accompaniments too, like the “crispy ice-cold vegetables” eaten with the Khua Kling to take the edge off the fiery heat in this dry curry.
There are shortcuts and practical tips throughout the book. For example, Guo notes what can be frozen, including ingredients such as lime leaves and some of his curry pastes. He explains how to open a coconut so that you can pry out and shred the flesh. (Though he warns that if there’s not a huge turnover of coconuts in your local shop they may “go bad”.) He reveals the secret ingredients unique to certain countries’ recipes, such as the bitterness added to Japanese curries by instant coffee or dark chocolate.
Guo’s enthusiastic and reassuring writing style makes the recipes feel do-able, even if you’re new to making curries.
Curry is also forgiving. It’s not the end of the world if you miss a spice or two, and the measurements aren’t that precise … the outcome will be delicious either way … just go forth and cook!
Plan ahead, considering not only the ingredients but also the preparation needed, the cooking time (sometimes up to 3 hours) and any equipment required. Many recipes involve more than one pan, with several things happening at the same time. You may need to fry some parts of the dish while others are simmering.
Some steps are best tackled by a confident cook, such as the optional final touch to the Dal Makhani, which Guo believes adds “a certain je ne sais quoi”.
To smoke the dal, light a piece of charcoal using a burner, gas stove, or an open flame … let the charcoal burn for a while … place [it] in a heat-resistant bowl and set the whole bowl in the pan on top of the dal. Add … ghee and cover immediately, letting it smoke for 5 minutes.
Both time and patience are required for these curries. Guo says that he sometimes spends at least half an hour pounding the ingredients for curry paste using a mortar and pestle. He admits that he often uses a blender to speed up the process. If traditional methods for making a paste sound like too much effort, Guo declares that store-bought curry pastes are “perfectly fine”. His Bathapu Thuna Paha (toasted Sri Lankan curry powder) and the Japanese Curry Powder look easy to make, though you’ll need a spice mill or blender, and should last well.
A batch will keep for at least 3 months in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
As well as curries that feature vegetables, chicken, beef or pork, there are recipes for curries made with mussels, duck, crab, and lobster. Enticing coloured photographs show the finished dishes and sometimes the steps along the way (such as the making of a roux for a Japanese curry). There are also images of chefs at work, food markets, and a few street scenes from each country. The book would be a great resource for an intrepid cook and spice enthusiast, especially one who is keen on travel.
Reviewer: Anne Kerslake Hendricks
Murdoch Books
