- Flavor base
- Onion, ginger, garlic and chile
- Staple starches
- Wheat flatbreads; rice
- Cooking fats
- Ghee, mustard oil, coconut oil
A word about "curry"
"Curry" is an English word, and cooks in South Asia rarely use it as a catch-all. A dish is more likely to be named for its main ingredient, its sauce or its method. A dal, a korma, a sambar and a Sri Lankan fish curry all differ in spices, fats and technique. Thinking of them as separate dishes, each with its own logic, makes them easier to cook well.
Spices to know
Cumin, coriander and turmeric form a common core. Cardamom, cloves and cinnamon add warmth, often in a blend such as garam masala, which varies by cook and region and usually goes in near the end. Black mustard seed and curry leaves are central in the south, and Bengali cooks use a five-seed mix called panch phoron, made from cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and mustard seeds.
Tempering: the key technique
Many dishes are finished, or started, with a tempering of whole spices fried in hot ghee or oil. Hindi speakers call it tadka or tarka. The heat pulls flavor from the spices into the fat, which then carries it through the dish. The steps are short:
- Heat the fat until it shimmers.
- Add seeds such as cumin or mustard and let them sizzle and pop for a few seconds.
- Add aromatics such as garlic, dried chile or curry leaves and stir briefly.
- Pour the hot fat and spices over the dal or into the pot at once.
Whole spices go from fragrant to burnt in seconds. Have the next ingredient ready, and turn the heat down if the seeds darken fast.
Signature dishes
| Dish | Where | What it is, in general terms |
|---|---|---|
| Dal | Across the region | Lentils or split peas simmered soft and finished with a tempering of spices fried in fat. Everyday food in countless versions. |
| Biryani | Across the region | Rice layered with spiced meat, fish or vegetables and cooked together. Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata and Karachi each have well-known styles. |
| Dosa | South India | A thin, crisp crepe made from a fermented batter of rice and lentils, often served with sambar and chutney. |
| Sambar | South India | A lentil stew soured with tamarind and cooked with vegetables and a dedicated spice mix. |
| Roti | Across the region | Unleavened whole wheat flatbread cooked on a hot griddle, torn and used to scoop food. |
| Momo | Nepal and the Himalayas | Steamed or fried dumplings with meat or vegetable fillings, served with a tomato and chile dipping sauce. |
| Fish curry | Bengal and Sri Lanka | Fish cooked in a spiced sauce. Bengali cooks often use mustard, while Sri Lankan cooks often use coconut milk and dark roasted spices. |
North, south, east and west
Broadly, wheat breads such as roti and naan are more common in the north, while rice dominates in the south and east. Southern cooking uses coconut, tamarind, curry leaves and fermented batters for dosa and idli. Bengal is known for fish, mustard oil and mustard paste. Gujarati cooking includes many vegetarian dishes with a sweet and sour balance. Pakistani and Punjabi cooking feature grilled and slow-cooked meats and rich breads. Sri Lankan cooking uses coconut milk and roasted spice blends. Nepali food includes dal, rice and dumplings shared with Tibetan cooking.
Many South Asian cooks are vegetarian for religious or family reasons, which has produced a huge range of vegetable, lentil and dairy dishes.
Cooking South Asian food at home
- Buy whole cumin and coriander, and grind small amounts as you need them.
- Cook onions slowly when a recipe calls for it. Many sauces depend on onions browned deeply, and rushing them leaves a sharp taste.
- Add ground spices to the fat for a minute before liquids go in, so they cook through and lose their raw edge.
- Start with dal. It is forgiving, cheap and teaches tempering.
Five things to buy first
- Cumin seed
- Ground turmeric
- Ground coriander
- Red lentils or split peas
- Ghee or a neutral oil
More on storing and using these on the spices and pantry page.
South Asia questions
Is South Asian food always very hot?
No. Heat comes from chile, and the amount varies widely by dish, region and family. Many dishes are mild and fragrant. You can always use less chile without losing the character of a dish.
What is the difference between ghee and butter?
Ghee is butter cooked until its water evaporates and its milk solids separate, then strained. It keeps longer, handles higher heat and has a nutty taste.