Curry doesn't refer to a single dish. Originating from the Tamil word 'kari' – referring to a sauce for rice – it's become a blanket term for all kinds of dishes, from fragrant Thai green curry and creamy, nutty korma to the Japanese classic, chicken katsu. Here are some of our favourite curry recipes from around the world, including surprisingly simple vegan curries, pots that waft with bright, complex spice mixes – and even a chicken tikka masala pie.
Bright, zingy flavours burst from every mouthful of this chicken, coconut and pineapple curry, which is basically sunshine in a bowl. The coconut milk and cream give it a voluptuous, velvety texture too. Serve with rice or chapatis, to soak up the tasty sauce.
Get the recipe for chicken, coconut and pineapple curry here
The distinctive sweet and sour tang of tamarind is the key flavour in this beautiful recipe, inspired by the fish curries often eaten for breakfast in Goa. Just a touch of chilli powder means it isn’t super hot, though it nevertheless bursts with lovely flavours – and it’s ready within 45 minutes.
Tamarind, cumin, coriander, ginger and chilli are just some of the zingy ingredients that go into this curry’s heady masala base. It’s pretty quick to prepare too (just 15 minutes), with coconut milk adding a comfortingly creamy texture and turmeric-spiced roasted tofu bringing a little bite.
Cauliflower is a great meat substitute and, thanks to its firm texture and nutty flavour, works wonderfully in this fresh take on a classic korma. Toasted almonds, dried fruit and honey bring a hint of sweetness that balances well with spice from fresh ginger, garam masala and chilli flakes.
Jackfruit does a convincing impression of tender, slow-cooked pork, mutton or goat in this vegan dish, proving itself once again to be something of a hero ingredient for plant-based cooking. Serve with naan bread or chapatis to mop up the delicious sauce.
Get the recipe for Caribbean curried jackfruit here
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The word vindaloo might have you reaching for a glass of water, but this spicy vegan curry is also gloriously rich and deep in flavour. Those who can’t quite take the heat can halve the amount of chilli powder. Either way, the result is a flavoursome veg-filled curry.
This easy Indian curry, made with minced beef (though you can use lamb), takes only 10 minutes to prepare, starting with a quick homemade curry paste combining green chillies, onion, garlic and ginger. It contains mushrooms, frozen peas, spinach and tomatoes, so it's great for upping your vegetable intake too. Serve with basmati rice and some thick yogurt to balance the heat.
This tasty lamb curry recipe takes 25 minutes to prepare and is made in a pressure cooker, so it's a relatively quick recipe with results akin to a dish cooked low and slow for hours. It's best to marinate the meat overnight for optimum flavour and tender meat that falls apart with a fork.
This creamy, fragrant dish is soothing and satisfying. It's lightly spiced with garam masala (a blend of bay leaves, cassia bark, cardamom and clove) and just a hint of chilli, while a pinch of saffron gives it an alluring gold colour. Serve scattered with flaked almonds and fresh coriander, with rice on the side.
This fragrant Sri Lankan curry has a creamy, coconutty base with cashews, chickpeas, sweetcorn and spinach. You could use other leafy greens such as chard or green radish leaves instead of spinach too. It's satisfying enough to eat on its own or, to stretch it out further, can be served with rice or flatbreads.
Infused with ginger, garlic, cumin and chilli, this easy chicken curry is sure to become a favourite – and it's a great budget option. It'll freeze really well too, so make a double batch and have portions on standby for another time.
You might already have most of the ingredients for this warming, comforting curry – and it's ready in around half an hour. The chickpeas in this recipe add a lovely texture in contrast to the soft, fluffy potatoes and paneer.
This aromatic Goan coconut curry becomes infused with deep, heady flavours when it's slow-cooked, either on high for three hours or low for five to six hours. Add prawns, spinach, coriander and lime 10 minutes towards the end, turning up the heat a little before serving.
Cheese might seem like an unusual addition to a curry but we love the halloumi in this simple and fragrant dish. It's best served with fluffy white rice and the recipe's zesty coconut sambal (a paste usually made with chilli) for the ultimate family meal.
If you're short on time, this Thai green curry is a mealtime miracle – it can be on the table in under half an hour. Wonderfully fragrant and creamy, the curry is made with good-quality, shop-bought curry paste and a tin of coconut milk. Serve it with sticky jasmine rice and, if you want a little extra heat, some sliced red chilli.
Butter chicken is a decadent dinner dish that's well worth learning to make. The chicken is rubbed in a tangy tandoori masala spice mix and browned, then stirred into a rich and fragrant sauce. Delicious served with a naan or chapati.
Katsu is Japan's most famous curry and this recipe is all about the luscious, creamy sauce. The joy is in the contrasting textures of the crispy chicken katsu and the silky sauce, and it's well worth the effort making it yourself. You can use other meat or seafood, or make it vegetarian with aubergine or tofu.
This delicious curry is made with peas and paneer, a mild Indian cheese that holds its shape well during cooking. In this easy one-pan dish, the paneer is fried off with spices, onion, ginger and garlic, to which you add tomatoes and peas (frozen is fine). Serve with chapatis, toasted pittas or flatbreads.
This wonderfully warming vegetarian curry is a slow-cooked spice fest, infused with the fragrant flavours of cumin, coriander and fenugreek leaves. It’s also suitable for vegans if you don’t top with butter and cream and makes a wonderful alternative to chicken tikka masala.
If you have white fish in the house (you could use prawns too), you can easily rustle up this southern Indian–style coconut curry. Macher malaikari – or 'fish in coconut milk' – is perfect for a simple, flavoursome and nourishing midweek supper, with a preparation time of just 15 minutes.
In this tasty Thai curry, the chunks of Maris Piper potato do a lot of heavy lifting. On top of adding some wonderful, satisfying texture, they soak up the fragrant flavours of red curry paste, lime and coriander. What’s more, this dish only requires one pan and can be rustled up in less than an hour.
This dish just zings with the classic aromatic Thai flavours of lemongrass, ginger, chilli, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves. The curry paste base is a ready-made one, so it's a pretty quick recipe to pull together. If you can't find fresh Thai basil leaves, use mint or coriander instead. Simply serve with Thai jasmine rice.
This subtly sweet and relatively mild Burmese curry dish is packed with irresistible flavour from the caramelised onions, tender pork, ginger and soy sauce. The secret to getting it right is the low and slow simmer that makes the meat so tender it falls apart, and creates an irresistibly sticky sauce – all the comfort you could wish for in one pan.
This is a beautifully simple curry that doesn't take long to make and – with just a hint of spice – is better described as fragrant than fiery. The eggs are hard-boiled and then added to a coconut, ginger and garlic sauce. Serve it with plain rice and a scattering of chopped coriander.
With a rich yet mild flavour, massaman curry is one of the most comforting things to eat. This is a veggie version of a Thai favourite, though it could also be made with chicken. The recipe involves a lot of chopping but isn't overly complicated, so don't be put off by the relatively long prep time. It can still be on the table in around an hour.
Mustard seeds add the punchy flavour to this speedy curry and you may well have everything else in your store cupboard already – onions, garlic, ginger, spices and tinned tomatoes. The preparation will take you all of 15 minutes then you can leave the sauce to do its magic and cook until it's thick and rich. You can also make it with other white fish if you don't have prawns.
Another curry featuring cheese, this creamy, tomato-rich Indian curry makes paneer the star of the show. The sauce is made with ingredients you might already have in your cupboard, such as coconut milk, ginger, garlic and tomato purée, so it's a great midweek marvel to have up your sleeve. You can even make the paneer yourself with whole milk, lemon juice and hot water (details in the recipe).
This comforting Burmese dish takes only 20 minutes to prepare, though you wouldn't know it from the taste. It's just delicious, and makes for a soul-soothing supper during chillier months. You can use any winter squash, such as kabocha or crown prince, or go for easier-to-find butternut squash or pumpkin. The recipe is vegetarian aside from the belacan (shrimp paste) and fish sauce, which can be substituted for miso.
In this one-pot vegan curry, plantain and chickpeas are simmered in a spicy coconut sauce, with fresh spinach stirred through at the end. It's quite filling so needs no accompaniment, though you could serve a fresh salad on the side.
Cook up a taste of Thailand with this popular curry, a staple across the country. The panang curry paste bursts with heady flavours – ginger, lemongrass, chilli, lime, garlic and coriander. They're just whizzed up in a blender, so it's really worth making your own for a fresh, zingy taste you won't find in a jar.
Jackfruit is slightly meaty, so it adds a welcome texture to a vegan curry. This punchy sauce of spices, garlic, ginger and chillies is cooled down with coconut and sweetened with tomato passata. You can buy jackfruit canned, so there's very little preparation here and only half an hour's cooking time. If it's still a little spicy, serve some coconut yogurt on the side.
The curry base, made with onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika and chilli powder, is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, and you can make it in advance and keep it in the fridge for a few days before throwing the rest of the dish together. Apart from that, this Burmese curry – known as bazun hin – is a deceptively simple dish to cook up.
Dhansak is a Parsi dish that's often made with lamb, though this vegan version adds plenty of veg to the usual creamy lentil base. It's relatively hot but the addition of coconut yogurt cools it down. Best of all, it only takes 15 minutes to prepare and the dish can be on the table within an hour. Any leftovers will taste great the next day too.
Despite the name, this butter tofu curry is actually vegan – and it makes a fabulous alternative to the classic curry, butter chicken. It's made with dairy-free butter and coconut or oat cream, infused with spices including coriander, turmeric and cumin. The tofu puffs, made by dusting tofu pieces with cornflour and frying to a golden crisp, add welcome texture.
Aubergine’s meaty, satisfying texture works wonderfully in vegetarian curries like this one, and it’s also the perfect vehicle for all the wonderful spices in the mix. An aromatic blend of cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel and dried chillies are the key to the dish’s deep and heady flavours, with a garnish of coconut, crispy onions and chilli flakes adding a burst of fragrance right before serving.
There's a lot more to curries than fragrant sauces served with rice or bread. Try this creative take on a chicken pie that incorporates one of the heartiest and most comforting curries – chicken tikka masala. It's guaranteed to become a family favourite.
For an even more inspired way to feature curry on your dinner plate, try this winning combination of two of our favourite comfort foods – chicken katsu curry and a burger. Crunchy deep-fried chicken is served with a dollop of curry sauce and it's perfect served with sweet potato fries – and more of that sauce on the side.
It’s the array of spices that make this almond chicken curry so intoxicatingly aromatic. The sheer number of ingredients might seem overwhelming, though this is actually a relatively simple dish to put together – and it’s worth investing in spices like fenugreek and amchur (dried mango powder) if you can find them.