Many people would be familiar with curries such as the Indian Butter Chicken or Thai Green Curry. While these curries are great, there are thousands of other curries from these places and other countries across the globe. Curries from different regions can vary considerably in ingredients their preparation. Therefore, we have curated a list of 13 unique curries from around the world that you will love!
Known in its western form, curry is now a broad term that describes a gravy/sauce that is flavoured with a variety of spices. Curry has its roots in India but has travelled across the globe. It makes use of local ingredients and influences to create unique dishes. So next time you are on a search for curry at a restaurant, be adventurous and pick one from the list. Or better still, try your hand at one of the included recipes!
1. Rendang (Indonesia/Malaysia )
This is a type of curry that originates from Indonesia that has also been adopted with great popularity in Malaysia. It has an incredible depth of flavour but it has a unique factor that differs from many curries. It is a dry curry! While it is known as a dry curry, the meat is still very moist. It has a thick paste-like covering of reduced liquid containing up to 16 spices along with coconut milk.
This dish was created as a way of preserving meat, due to the properties of some of the spices and aromatics. Traditionally, this dish was known to last for weeks. This is even at room temperature! However, we recommend that you still put this in the fridge and don’t wait this long to eat it. I highly doubt that it would last this long anyway, as it is so tasty!
Due to the complexity of this dish, it is best to be made on a weekend so that you can prepare it properly. Try this authentic recipe here: https://rasamalaysia.com/beef-rendang-recipe-rendang-daging/
2. Bunny chow (South Africa)
Take a loaf of bread, hollow it out, fill it with curry and you’ve got Bunny chow. Bunny chow, known commonly as a bunny, comes from the Indian community in Durban and is one of their most popular dishes.
Although it contains the word bunny, rabbit is not commonly used. It often contains mutton or beef or a vegetarian option. The word bunny is derived from banias, a term for certain Indians merchants at the time. Chow the word that was used for Chinese. This blended into the word bunny chow.
The curry inside the bread takes on many of the techniques and ingredients used in Indian cooking. This creates a rich gravy filled with protein and often potatoes. The bread serves as both a vessel for carrying the curry, along with starch to eat with the filling. We can all get amongst a bowl that you can eat!
Make your own bunny here: https://www.curiouscuisiniere.com/bunny-chow/
3. Sri Lankan Beetroot curry (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lankan curries are generally made with coconut and blend Indian influences with those of Indonesia and South East Asia. An ingredient that some may not expect to be the centrefold in a curry, beetroot gives this dish a lovely sweetness and a rich purple colour. Beetroots are grown in the hillside areas of central Sri Lanka. These are mixed with spices and coconut milk to create a creamy, sweet and mildly hot curry. This curry is also completely vegan and gluten-free!
Although some people may think that beetroot in a curry sounds strange, it works surprisingly well and also looks super impressive on a dinner spread.
See the following recipe for a curry that can be enjoyed by all: https://www.theflavorbender.com/sri-lankan-beetroot-curry/
4. Jamaican curry goat (Jamaica)
The use of goat in curries originated from the sub-continent. Goat was often prepared for special occasions and was a popular choice with Hindus, that cannot eat beef. It was also a popular choice with Muslim populations that could not eat pork.
The Jamaicans have carried across this tradition of having a goat for special occasions. However, there are some key differences in the preparation of many subcontinent curries. One of these lies in the curry powder. It contains more turmeric and allspice than Indian curry powders you will find in the shops. The meal also contains scotch bonnet peppers, giving it a distinct flavour that is both fresh yet spicy. Add to it some coconut milk and you have the true flavours of the Caribbean.
Click here for a version that is easy to create at home: https://www.wellplated.com/jamaican-curry-chicken/
5. Chicken tikka masala (UK/India)
This is a recipe for the fans of butter chicken that want to try something different but that are still looking for some familiarity. Some of you may have tried this but if you haven’t, you’re in for a treat! While not strictly traditionally Indian, this dish contains a lot of elements of Indian cooking and has become one of the most popular dishes in the UK.
What sets this apart from butter chicken is that the chicken is first char grilled giving it a beautiful smokiness. The sauce itself contains many similarities but is a little more complex in terms of the spices used, creating a strong depth of flavour. This is a must-try for curry lovers!
This one is another weekend project but it will be much better than anything from a jar! It is a worthy choice for the list of 13 unique curries from around the world. Make it yourself here: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-tikka-masala/
6. Fish Amok (Cambodia)
Perhaps one of the most unique curries from around the world texturally, Fish Amok has been said to have a consistency similar to a mousse. What gives it this creamy consistency is the addition of beaten eggs. Some of the other key ingredients include coconut milk, white fish and a special curry paste. The curry is steamed in banana leaves, giving it that unique flavour and texture. Some versions of the curry will be cooked in a wok and not steamed. Sometimes it will have a more liquid consistency. However, steamed, thick mousse-like curry is the most traditional way to have this.
Fish Amok is known as the countries national dish. It was also thought that it was enjoyed as a speciality for the Royals. When it was the royals favourite meal you know it has to be good!
For a detailed explanation of Fish Amok and an authentic recipe, head here: https://grantourismotravels.com/cambodian-fish-amok-recipe/
7. Massaman curry (Thailand)
Massaman curry can be commonly found on Thai restaurant menu’s but many people tend to gravitate to the popular green and red curries. These curries are also great, but for something unique, Massaman is a must-try. You may have already tried it but if you haven’t, please do!
Massaman differs from many Thai curries in its use of spices more commonly found in Indian cuisine. A complex blend of these spices as well as Thai ingredients such as lemongrass and galangal build a powerful base. Add coconut cream, fish sauce, tamarind, potatoes, peanuts and much more and you have perhaps one of the most complex curries on the planet. If you plan to make it at home, expect a long shopping list and an afternoon in the kitchen. Trust me though, it is well worth the effort. If you have a great local Thai restaurant, try it next time or if you’re game, give it a go yourself!
You can try this one here : https://www.recipetineats.com/massaman-curry/
8. Devil’s curry/Curry Debal (Malaysia)
A fiery curry from Malacca, Devil’s curry was created by the Kristang community, a community of mixed Malay and Portuguese. Devil’s curry got its name likely from the spiciness of the dish along with the similarity of Debal and Devil. However, Debal in Kristang means leftover. This is because this dish was normally enjoyed as a special meal following Christmas.
The curry uses local ingredients such as candlenuts and galangal. Interestingly, unlike many curries of these regions that use citrus or tamarind for sourness, this curry uses vinegar. The use of Vinegar comes from the Portuguese influence. This was because Malaysia was originally colonised by Portugal in the 15th century. The Portuguese also colonised Goa in India, which is why there is a similar use of vinegar in the Indian curry Vindaloo!
If you like your curries red hot, give this one a try https://rasamalaysia.com/devils-curry/
9. Curry fish balls (Hong kong)
If you travel to Hong Kong, you will no doubly see a wide array of street food options. One of the most popular options is the curry fish balls. The curry shows that blend between the Chinese ingredients and those from Southeast Asia. This combination creates a curry that has the Unami from China along with the interplay of sweet/sour/spicy from South East Asia. There are quite a few variations to the sauce but expect to see things such as soy sauce or oyster sauce from the Chinese side. From the South-East Asian side things such as yellow curry paste and sometimes coconut milk. Everyone makes it different, but it’s always tasty!
The fish balls are important but those in the know will make sure they find a stall with plenty of curry!
These ones take a little effort but they will transport you to the streets of Hong Kong: https://www.wokandkin.com/curry-fish-balls/
10. Japanese curry (Japan)
The Japanese are another national to adopt curry from India and Japanese curry is now one of the most popular dishes in Japan. Made with a roux, Japanese curry is thicker and more mildly spiced than most Indian or south-east curries. In saying that, Japanese curries get their flavour and balance between the sweetness of the dish and their Umami (savoury taste). It can be served in several ways including over rice, as a curry with meat or served over breaded meat.
Either way, Japanese curry is one that you need to tick off your list!
This one you can make easily at home : https://www.chopstickchronicles.com/japanese-curry-rice/
11. South Indian Fish Curry (India)
The vast majority of Indian curries that are enjoyed by westerns are North Indian curries or a westernised adaption of these. Focusing on a gravy that is heavy with cream, yoghurt or ghee these curries are often rich and heavy. They are often very tasty but differ greatly from South Indian curries. For more Indian curries, check out our selection here: https://atasteofabroad.com/22-indian-curries-you-need-to-taste/
Contrasting the North, South Indian curries often use coconut milk/cream, spices and generally something sour (such as tamarind) to balance the flavours. Tempering of spices adds another dimension as well! Tempering involves cooking spices separately from the spices in the gravy. These are often added towards the end or are used to top the dish.
For those that have not tried a Southern Indian curry, this south Indian fish curry is a great spot to start :
https://carameltintedlife.com/easy-south-indian-fish-curry-recipe/
12. Beef Kulma (Phillippines )
You can clearly see the Indian influence in this recipe, with some similarities to Korma. You can see this in the name too! One of the main differences to an Indian Korma is the addition of coconut milk and lemongrass, giving it a different flavour profile to Korma. As this comes from the Philippines, beef is commonly used. This differs from India, that is predominately Hindu, a religion where cows are scared. Peanut butter is commonly used as well!
If you’re a fan of a Korma, I would highly recommend trying this one!
Here is a great recipe to try: https://www.angsarap.net/2018/02/28/tausug-beef-kulma/
13. Chicken Karahi (Pakistan/ North India)
Chicken Karahi is one of the most famous dishes in Pakistan. Karahi is named after the dish that it was originally cooked in. Chicken Karahi is well known for being a flavoursome tomato-based curry with a topping of ginger, green chilli and coriander. That topping adds texture and flavour and sets this curry apart from many you would have tried. Although the topping is a defining feature, it does nothing to take away from the gravy. The gravy is thick, ensuring that every bite is flavourful.
This is an easy one to make at home: https://www.teaforturmeric.com/chicken-karahi/
Summary
As you can see, there are a wide variety of curries from across the globe, all with their own defining characteristics. While this is just a small sample of all the curries in the world, it shows the diversity of different food cultures and their own takes on curry. Which one are you most keen to make out of these unique curries from around the world? Let me know in the comments!
Journey across the globe with your palate through the best food and travel shows :
https://atasteofabroad.com/14-food-and-travel-shows-to-watch-right-now/
Hi there, thanks for sharing Cambodia’s ‘fish amok’ or ‘amok trei’ (trei is fish in Khmer) with the world and linking to our site, Grantourismo. I’m actually working on a culinary history of Cambodia and cookbook so I can confirm that it’s a very old Khmer dish that would have been created in the Angkor royal kitchens. While these days it’s not always steamed, especially at street food stalls, where it’s sold as a curry, it’s worth noting that ‘amok’ means to steam in banana leaves, so it should probably just be called ‘fish curry’. Nice to have discovered your site. I will definitely spend some time browsing. Cheers, Lara
Hi Lara, you’re very welcome. I found your description of ‘fish amok’ fascinating and insightful. It was also great to find an authentic steamed recipe for it too! I’d love to have a read of the history/cookbook once it’s out. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the rest of the site. Thanks, Nathan