Currying favors
It was invented in India and quickly spread to other Southeast Asian countries where it made good use of locally-sourced spices. In the 17th century, it travelled to the West with European colonists, and since then its delights have conquered the palates of gourmands all over the world.
It is the simple curry, a culinary delicacy that has been adapted into a multitude of national varieties over the years. Among them, the most three notable styles that have achieved popularity in China are Indian, Thai and Japanese.
King of spices
As the dish's birthplace, India boasts a huge variety of curries from every corner of the country. For instance, Goa in southwest India is famous for its fiery and spicy vindaloo, while the Punjab in northwest India is known for masala, which is either a mix of dried spices or a paste that combines spices with vegetables.
For Indian curry lovers, G Water Front (Room 112, Bldg 3, 601 Waima Road, 3302-0007) is an excellent option. Open for over a year and featuring north Indian cuisine, the restaurant boasts chefs mostly from that part of the country.
"The curries of north India usually mix butter and whipping cream, and match that with mutton and chicken, while curries in south India taste fresher and often contain seafood and coconut," said restaurant managing director Madhu Sudhan.
He pointed out that vindaloo spices are a great match for mutton. All of the spices used at G Water Front are imported from India, and every curry on the menu uses at least five spices. The sauces, meanwhile, include at least 10 different vegetables as a base, among them onion, garlic and tomato.
The restaurant offers a wide range of curries, and among its signature dishes are buttered curry chicken, vindaloo mutton, and palak paneer, a curry-flavored dish of mashed spinach.
Choice of colors
Thai curries are usually distinguished by their distinctive colors: green curries use green chilies, red curries use red chilies, and yellow curries are similar to the Indian variety.
Thai curries tend to be more aromatic than Indian curries, and they use coconut milk that tempers the normally spicy taste. Thai chefs also add lemon grass, laurel leaves and fish-based sauces. Generally, red curries and green curries are hotter than the yellow curries.
Located in an old villa in Jing'an district, the Thai restaurant, Coconut Paradise (38 Fumin Road, 6248-1998) has now been open for more than eight years. Decorated in a Southeast Asian style, featuring Buddha statues, low lighting and scented candles, the restaurant offers every variety of Thai curry imaginable.
Featured dishes here include green curry-sauced chicken, pineapple curry-sauced fish, yellow curry-sauced crabs, vegetables with green chili sauce, and tom yam kung soup.
Homemade recipe
Japanese curries use a variety of vegetables and meats, among the most popular being onion, carrot, potato, pork, beef and chicken. Although the curry only arrived in Japan roughly 100 years after it appeared in the West, such is its popularity that it is now considered a national dish.
"Curry eateries are ubiquitous on the streets of Japan, and each family will have curry rice meal at least two or three times a month," said Hiro Tsukino, the owner of a newly opened restaurant called Small Spice (250 Danshui Road, 5386-5035) near Xintiandi.
Tsukino has lived in Shanghai for more than six years, and he always lamented that there were not many Japanese-style curry restaurants in the city. As a keen lover of curries, Tsukino decided to open his own restaurant based on his personal tastes. And after experimenting with different recipes and ingredients, he created his own unique curry which forms the basis of the restaurant's curry dishes.
Generally, it takes three days to prepare this curry sauce which is a blend of Chinese spices with vegetables, meat and a small amount of Japanese curry powder.
On the first day Tsukino boils the pork and marinates it in soup for a day. On the second day the pork is removed and vegetables are added into the soup. On the third day all the spices - including cloves, laurel leaves and cumin - are added to season the sauce.
"People today lead similar lives, they live in identical buildings, and work in similar-looking offices. I hope that Small Spice will bring some individuality into their daily lives," said Tsukino.
The curries available at Small Spice are currently limited to three separate curried rice dishes, vegetables, pork and beef respectively. The restaurant also offers house wines, coffee and a selection of homemade pickled vegetables.
