An Ode to Curry
I love curry. Specifically curry powder. I made tofu scramble for breakfast, and as the orange powder hit the hot pan and began to toast, the smell was intoxicating. It’s so many things at once, spicy, earthy, exotic, warm, nutty, bright, clean, and at times, sweet. The reason it’s so complex is because it’s not just one spice, it’s many.
At first glance the curry powder appears to be a homogenous, muted, orange. Upon closer look, there are flecks of gold, yellow, and red, and black within the orange. My go to curry is made of coriander, turmeric, mustard, cumin, fenugreek, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. That’s one diverse seasoning. The scents and flavors work together to form the whole, however remain independent of one another. The turmeric and cumin lend themselves to grounding a dish, evoking the smell of earth just after it has rained. The cumin has a deep, smokey quality, and combined with the cardamom, a sense of the unknown, something mysterious. The mustard, coriander, and fenugreek are bright, clean, and uplifting. A phoenix rising from the ash after the strong foundation of the cumin. That fiery phoenix is further embodied in the spicy paprika and cayenne. It’s bold and daring and sexy. Like a first kiss. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring you back to the familiar. The family meals during the holidays, or that crazy aunt who makes the amazing apple pies. They are subtle, sweet, and homey. They are warm and comforting, like coming in from the cold to a crackling fire. The finish is bright. Like new beginnings.
Curry is my patron spice. I use it in almost everything. I add it to tofu scrambles, tempeh “chicken” salad with grapes, soups, vegetables, in stews, and of course in Indian food. It may not always be the star flavor, but a little in the background of a dish is lovely. To me curry is versatile. It’s ever-changing depending on it’s enviroment. That doesn’t make it shifty or unreliable. It’s adaptable. Maybe the reason why I’m so drawn to curry is that it reminds me of myself…
First Post!
I finally hopped on the blog bandwagon (blogwagon?) I started in honor of the upcoming Vegan Month of Food, which happens in October. Basically, I’m going to post about vegan food, what I’m making, recipes I want to try, food I’ve eaten at restaurants, really anything I come up with! I’m going to shoot for a post a day during the week. Hopefully people will be inspired by all the yummy autumnal vegan meals I’ll be talking about!
