From Pakistan to the Caribbean: The global journey of curry

In 2019, the iconic Japanese curry chain CoCo Ichibanya revealed its plans to introduce its beloved 'curry rice' to India in 2020.

It may seem surprising to enjoy CoCo Ichibanya’s comparatively mild, sweet Japanese curry in a country known for its intense curry flavors.

Yet, this move highlights the incredible diversity and depth of curry – a concept often misunderstood.

Curry is not a single spice, nor is it connected to the curry tree, although its leaves are widely used in Indian cooking.

The all-encompassing term refers to a 'spiced stew of meat, fish, or vegetables,' either freshly made from a spice paste or powder, or bought as a ready-made mix,” writes Colleen Sen in her book 'Curry: A Global History.'

Sen suggests that the word 'curry' most likely comes from a misinterpretation of the southern Indian term 'kari,' which originally referred to a spiced dish of sautéed vegetables and meat.

In the 17th century, the Portuguese, who colonized Goa in western India, adapted the term to mean a 'spiced stew' served with rice, and 'kari' evolved into 'caril' or 'caree' in Portuguese, and eventually 'curry' in English,” Sen explains to Dinogo Travel.

Curry, believed to have originated around 2500 BCE in what is now Pakistan, has transformed into a truly global dish, spreading across the world through colonization, immigration, indentured labor, trade, and entrepreneurship.

Today, curry can be found everywhere, from the UK’s chicken tikka masala to Thailand’s spicy green curry, Japan’s kare raisu, and Jamaica’s curry goat.

I believe there's no place in the world without some form of curry,” says Sen.

If you're a curry enthusiast, satisfy your cravings by visiting these 12 destinations:

India

Indian cuisine is rich and varied, with each state and community offering its own unique specialties and traditions.

Summing up India's diverse 'curries' in just a few lines is impossible. However, one dish that’s found across the country is murgh makhani – better known worldwide as butter chicken.

This iconic dish – created by chef Kundan Lal Gujral in New Delhi in 1948 – features chicken marinated in yogurt, baked in a tandoor, and then smothered in a rich, creamy sauce made from tomatoes, onions, and spices.

Vindaloo is another well-known dish and a must-try in Goa. Originating from the Portuguese phrase 'vinha d’alhos' (meaning meat marinated in garlic and vinegar), this spicy dish is traditionally made with pork, vinegar, tomatoes, onions, red chilies, garlic, and a complex spice blend.

Other delicious curry options include: aromatic, creamy korma (once a royal Mughal dish with yogurt sauce, turmeric, and nut paste); rogan josh (a flavorful curry often made with slow-cooked lamb or mutton); the sweet and sour dhansak lentil curry from the Parsi community; chickpea-heavy chana masala (a dish spiced with ground spices); peppery saag made with mustard greens from northern India; maacher jhol, a fish curry from West Bengal; and hearty rajma masala from Punjab.

Japan

Mild and thick, Japanese curry, known as kare raisu, is enjoyed across the country and has become a beloved national dish, alongside ramen.

“In a survey, the Japanese listed curry rice as one of their top three favorite home-cooked meals, and schoolchildren voted it as the best lunch program dish,” says Sen.

“It’s Japan’s take on comfort food, simple and unpretentious, with no airs of sophistication.”

Curry has deep roots in Japan, believed to have been introduced by British officers and traders in the 1800s.

“During the early Meiji Era (1868-1912), Japanese ports were opened to foreign influence,” explains Sen.

“The Japanese military sought to boost meat consumption to strengthen the youth, and curry with rice became the perfect dish, combining vegetables, rice, and meat into one affordable, filling meal.”

Often made with pre-packaged spice mixes or curry roux, Japan's rich and mild version typically includes tender chunks of stewed beef, onions, and carrots served over rice.

Some curry mixes, like the popular Vermont Curry, also blend in honey and grated apple to add a touch of sweetness.

Another beloved variation of curry in Japan is katsu karē, a satisfying dish of crispy fried pork cutlets (tonkatsu) served with thick, brown gravy over rice.

“Japanese curry fascinates me – it’s the complete opposite of traditional Japanese cuisine, which is so refined and artistically presented,” says Sen.

“The curry itself is just a messy brown sauce, but the Japanese absolutely adore it. It’s the essence of comfort food.”

The Caribbean

In the Caribbean, curry is especially popular in former British colonies like Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The introduction of curry to the Caribbean dates back to the mid-1800s, after the British Empire abolished slavery in 1833, freeing over 800,000 African slaves across the world.

As freed slaves refused to work on sugar cane plantations, the British turned to indentured workers from the Indian subcontinent – including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – to fill the labor gap.

According to Sen’s book, between 1834 and 1917, 1.5 million Indians migrated across the British Empire, including 114,000 to Trinidad and Tobago and 36,000 to Jamaica.

This mass migration brought a wave of new cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes, including curry.

In Trinidad and Tobago, curry has evolved into a symbol of national pride over the last two centuries.

Curry dishes in the region often feature crab, shrimp, duck, chickpeas, potatoes, and for special occasions, lobster, along with cumin-infused sauces and roti on the side.

“In Trinidad, they adapt their spice mixes based on available ingredients,” says Sen. “You’ll find a blend of cumin, coriander, fenugreek [a herb similar to clover], and turmeric in a typical Trinidadian curry.”

Similarly, in Jamaica, a blend of British and Indian influences led to the creation of a unique version of curry goat – the island’s most beloved curry dish.

Often prepared for special occasions, curry goat is known for its tenderness and rich aroma, thanks to ingredients like coconut milk, garlic, onion, allspice, thyme, Scotch bonnet peppers, tomatoes, and a generous amount of turmeric for its vibrant yellow color.

Thailand

In the fourth century, Indian traders and Buddhist missionaries are believed to have spread spices and herbs such as tamarind, garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass throughout Southeast Asia.

Then, in the 16th century, the Portuguese brought chili peppers to the region, which have since become a staple in Thai cuisine.

As time passed, the Thai people began incorporating these ingredients into their cooking, creating the distinctively aromatic and spicy curries the country is now known for.

Thai curry dishes, often made with coconut milk, differ across the country. In the north, you'll find drier versions, while in central and southern Thailand, where coconut milk is more abundant, the curries tend to be wetter.

Thai curries, or 'gaeng,' come in a vibrant array of red, yellow, and green, and are crafted to achieve a harmonious balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.

What sets Thai curries apart is the use of fermented shrimp paste, along with fragrant lemongrass and sweet palm sugar.

Of course, Thailand's curry offerings go beyond just three varieties – these are simply the foundational types.

In addition to the basic curries, you'll find intensely spicy khua kling, a dry beef curry from the south, rich and nutty massaman curry from the Malaysian border, and panang curry, a milder, sweeter version of red curry, plus many more.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, a key stop along ancient spice trade routes and once a British colony, has a long-standing history with curry.

In the 19th century, the British set up plantations for tea, cinnamon, rubber, sugar, coffee, and indigo on the island, bringing in thousands of indentured workers from Tamil Nadu in southern India to work them,” Sen explains.

Additionally, Sri Lanka is home to millions of Sinhalese people, an ethnic group that migrated from northern India thousands of years ago.

Due to influences from both the Sinhalese and southern Indian cultures, Sri Lankan curry comes in a spectrum of colors, from vibrant yellow to creamy white, bold red, and deep brown.

Although the flavors can vary greatly, curries often feature ingredients such as coconut milk, tamarind, Maldivian fish, green chili, mustard seeds, coriander, and cumin.

Among the many types of curries, be sure to try popular ones like parippu (dhal curry), polos (green jackfruit curry), rich kukul mas (chicken curry), white chicken curry (typically made with fragrant lemongrass and pandan leaves), and ambul thiyal (sour fish curry).

To get a true sense of Sri Lankan cuisine, start with a traditional ‘rice and curry’ meal.

This classic Sri Lankan dish includes rice, at least one curry, and a variety of side dishes, often ranging from four to twelve different chutneys, pickles, and sambols (spicy condiments).

A few bites in, and you'll appreciate the rice – Sri Lankan food can pack a serious spicy punch.

Pakistan

Pakistan, established in 1947 after the end of British colonial rule and the violent partition of India, has been shaped by the culinary influences of the Mughal empire, a Muslim dynasty that ruled much of India from the 16th to the 18th century.

This predominantly Muslim nation prepares its dishes with beef, chicken, or fish, often infused with a rich blend of spices such as nutmeg, cumin, turmeric, bay leaves, cardamom, and black pepper.

Curry enjoys immense popularity across the country, with a wide variety of dishes ranging from the famous slow-cooked haleem (a rich stew of wheat, barley, meat, lentils, and spices) to spicy karahi (a garlic, spice, vinegar, tomato, and onion-based curry made with mutton or chicken), bitter gourd curry, saag (a spiced puree of spinach and mustard greens), chickpea curry, and daal chawal, a comforting dish often served with rice or roti.

The list of curries doesn't stop there: You must try aloo gosht (a warming meat and potato curry), rich mutton korma, lobia daal (black-eyed peas curry), and goat paya, a slow-cooked curry featuring incredibly tender trotters.

Maldives

The Maldives, a small island nation, boasts a vibrant culinary landscape with a strong focus on curry dishes.

Maldivian cuisine is built around three key ingredients: coconut, fish, and various starches. Its flavors have been shaped by centuries of trade with India, Africa, and the Middle East.

Curry in the Maldives is often hot and spicy, typically incorporating seafood and tropical fruits in its flavorful combinations.

Mas riha, a popular fish curry, is often served with rice or roshi flatbread, and is one of the most beloved types of local curry.

Rich and creamy, mas riha is typically prepared with coconut milk, fresh chilies, cinnamon, a blend of spices, and chunks of tender tuna.

Anbu riha (mango tuna curry) offers a sweet and sour taste, while kukulhu riha (chicken curry) is another standout dish.

Vegetarian curry options are also plentiful, featuring ingredients such as eggplant, pumpkin, potato, cauliflower, and green banana.

South Africa

In South Africa, a country with a rich cultural mix, curry, or 'kerries,' has roots dating back to the colonial era.

When the Dutch East India Company established a trading post in the Cape in the mid-1600s, they brought slaves from Indonesia, Madagascar, and India, who formed the Cape Malay community and influenced the local cuisine.

By blending local ingredients with spices they had on hand, Cape Malay cooks created various sweet and savory curries, ranging from tomato-flavored chicken curry to rich, slow-cooked lamb curry.

Eventually, the British took control of the Cape and brought in hundreds of thousands of indentured laborers from southern India to work on the plantations.

This led to the creation of the iconic Durban curry – a bold, spicy red dish, often prepared with lamb, chicken, fish, or crab, known for its richness and heat.

A few decades later, entrepreneurs from Gujarat, India, moved to South Africa, opening spice shops and restaurants that further shaped the local curry culture.

These immigrants are credited with creating the famous 'bunny chow' – a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry and topped with Indian pickles.

One theory behind the name is that in Durban, Indian traders were commonly referred to as 'banias,' which was the name of a trading caste, explains Sen.

These merchants opened small restaurants that, due to apartheid, black customers were not allowed to enter. However, they could be served through the back door. 'The dish was called bunny chow, derived from 'bania chow,'' explains Sen.

Malaysia

Thanks to its strategic location along the Strait of Malacca, a key maritime route for trade between the East and West, Malaysia’s cuisine has evolved through centuries of cultural exchanges.

From the late 1700s, Britain established a foothold in parts of what is now Malaysia and Singapore.

As with other British colonies and trading posts, the British brought in laborers from India to work on rubber and palm oil plantations.

With these immigrants came a rich variety of curry dishes. From tangy fish head curry and Tamil-style chicken varuval to comforting dalcha lentil curry, Malaysia’s curries are both flavorful and diverse.

Nyonya cuisine, developed by the Straits-Chinese community, also plays a key role in shaping Malaysia’s rich culinary landscape.

One of the most popular Nyonya curries is kari ayam, a bone-in chicken curry that combines Chinese cooking methods with local Malaysian ingredients such as shrimp paste, coconut milk, star anise, cinnamon, fish sauce, kaffir lime, turmeric, and ginger.

Sen highlights curry chicken kapitan, where chicken pieces are sautéed in a rich curry paste and then simmered in a blend of coconut milk, tangy tamarind water, and aromatic cinnamon.

Rendang, a beloved dish across Malaysia and Indonesia, is especially popular during holidays and festivals.

Famous worldwide, this dry curry is made by slowly braising beef or chicken in a fragrant sauce of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and cinnamon, resulting in an incredibly tender texture.

Indonesia

Indonesia, like Malaysia, has been deeply shaped by Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern culinary traditions, influenced by centuries of trade and colonization.

The diversity of curries across Indonesia's 17,000 islands is remarkable, with each region crafting dishes based on local meats and vegetables.

As you explore different regions, you’ll encounter dishes such as gulai kambing (a rich lamb curry in coconut milk), kari ayam (chicken curry), and the world-renowned rendang.

For a variety of curries in one meal, a nasi padang experience is the way to go.

At this type of meal, you can enjoy a selection of spicy sambals and curries, such as gulai otak (brain curry), gulai kepala ikan (fish head curry in a rich coconut sauce), and gulai cubadak (unripe jackfruit curry).

South Korea

Curry is believed to have been introduced to South Korean cuisine after World War II.

Before and during the war, Korea was under Japanese control, with approximately 2.4 million Koreans living in Japan.

Many Koreans migrated to Japan in the 1920s, and some were brought there as forced labor during World War II,” Sen explains. “After Japan’s defeat, most returned to Korea, but around 600,000 stayed behind.

During their time in Japan, Koreans became acquainted with local dishes, including curry, and later attempted to recreate these dishes back home.

Curry became widely popular in South Korea after the Ottogi company began producing curry powders and instant curry products in the 1960s.

According to Sen, curry rice, a hearty stew of beef, carrots, potatoes, and onions served over rice, along with curry tteokbokki – a rich stew with rice cakes, fish cakes, vegetables, and eggs – have become staple home-cooked dishes in South Korea.

The UK

Due to its long history of ties with India, the UK has been adding its own twist to curry recipes since the 18th century.

After British officials who had lived in India returned home, craving the flavors of their time abroad, curry-like dishes and other Indian foods began showing up on coffee house menus.

Around the same period, enterprising merchants began packaging pre-made curry powders, which they exported throughout the British Empire.

In 1810, the first curry house, Hindoostane Coffee House, opened in Marylebone, London. Although it was not successful, it paved the way for the rise of curry houses in the UK.

Curry became even more deeply ingrained in British food culture with the arrival of large numbers of Indian immigrants in the early 20th century, followed by an influx of Bangladeshi immigrants in the 1970s, many of whom opened their own restaurants.

"Curry is incredibly popular in the UK," says Sen. "The British have a strong attachment to it – they even created tikka masala there, as India has been part of their cultural fabric for centuries."

Curry has become so beloved in the UK that it is considered an unofficial national dish, and the country even dedicates National Curry Week every October to celebrate it.

Whether you're enjoying a late-night meal at a casual curry house or dining at a high-end Indian restaurant, you'll find a variety of anglo-Indian curries on the menu, from spicy vindaloos and creamy chicken tikka masala to tomato-rich Madras, rogan josh, fiery chicken jalfrezi, and rich, smooth korma.