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If you are somebody who likes to experiment in the kitchen, and you like making curry powder from individual herbs and spices, you might like to think about the origins of the curry you are about to cook up. There are loads of different chicken curry recipes, and they originate from all over the world, each one having its own specific flavors which makes it recognizable. From India are the famously hot chicken vindaloo and chicken madras. Another very popular one is the Thai green curry; there’s also a Thai red curry to sample! Over in the West Indies we can find the popular goat curries, and in Britain there is the old restaurant favorite, chicken tikka masala.

With so many curry varieties from across the globe, there is perhaps no such thing as an easy chicken curry recipe. You will need to figure out what ingredients make the ideal curry from the region your are interested in. Here are some pointers which give a clue to the characteristics of the different recipes.

In the United States, it is the Asian curries from Thailand which have made their mark, and the favorites amongst these are the Thai green curry and red curry. The first of these is made using coconut milk and cream, into which is stirred crushed garlic and chopped lemongrass, together with freshly chopped cilantro and chilies. To make the red curry, there are some extra ingredients which impart the wonderfully warm orange color, these extras being galangal, paprika and turmeric.

If you are making your own curry powder, the chances are you will be making a curry from the Indian sub-continent rather than one from the Far East. This is because Indian curries commonly use dried, ground spices whereas the Thai ones use fresh herbs and spices. So for the curries of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, you will be needing cumin and coriander seeds, fennel seed, cloves, cinnamon and black peppercorns, and possibly some others depending on the recipe, which might also include poppy seeds and fenugreek, for example. The dry roasted seeds are then ground to a fine powder; you can use a coffee grinder for this. Then a paste is made using onion, garlic, ginger and fresh cilantro, combined with the herb powder. The curry sauce is finished with tomatoes and some stock.

So now you can make your choice between the Thai or Indian curries and decide what kinds of herbs and spices you want to use when you make your own curry powder. As long as you have garlic, chili and ginger and a few other items you will be able to make a delicious and authentic curry that everyone will love. And if you don’t want to make the powder yourself, don’t worry. There are tons of places you can buy madras curry powder from, which will do the job just fine.