Curried Rice

I Googled it: Some cooks use a combination of basil leaves and lime zest to replicate both the herbal and citrus notes in curry leaves. You can use the zest of a single lime to replace 8 curry leaves. Use the same amount of basil that your recipe indicates for curry leaves.

The “curry” powder of the Caribbean is bright yellow with turmeric and not very spicy. My favorite Jamaican brand includes only Tumeric, coriander, foenugreek, salt, cumin, allspice, pepper, and garlic. It’s pretty representative of the style.

Thanks for your note. I actually think the curry powder here is a feature not a bug. It's a Caribbean curry powder we're using, as Karolyn Schalk notes below (or above?), what I call murky and yellow, heavy on the turmeric. It's sometimes labeled "Jamaican" curry powder in stores, other times as "British-style."

The problem with this dish is the main ingredient, "curry powder". In India, 20+ variants go under that name. Some South Indian variants use loads of coriander+cumin roasted until dark brown and almost bitter (plus mildly bitter ingredients like ground fenugreek seed, an acquired taste) and need to be combined with a sour base like tomato or tamarind. Parsi variants are fragrant and low on cayenne. Knowing what ingredients the "curry powder" contains would make the recipe usable.

Does 2 shallots = 2 bulbs or 2 cloves? Of which size? Since shallots come in a wide range of sizes, it would be better to have a measurement for this in tsp or tbsp.

This is my ultimate fav brand of curry to use for West Indian dishes. Curry, Oxtail etc. Kala Brand Madras Curry Powder from Trinidad. You can find this on Amazon or in Caribbean markets, where we have lots here in Toronto.

Wow! I happened to have some leftover rice in the fridge, so I made this right away. I left out the habanero, because I don't really do chile (all that pepper & curry was more than enough heat for me) and reduced the butter by half, because... who needs 6T butter for 2-4 servings of rice? I also reduced the sugar by half, and topped it with some fresh sorrel (it's lemony, so it's like an extra facet to the lime juice to finish) and it was fantastic! Turns rice into a meal all by itself!-)

Loved this. Subbed hoisin for oyster sauce, used 5 basil leaves plus the zest of 1 lime in place of curry leaves, used 1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños in place of habaneros. Heat level was 5 out of 10, perfect for our palates. Really great when I added shredded rotisserie chicken, served with roasted broccoli as a side.

Nothing like curry powder, but a leaf native to southern India (and apparently grown in Florida now for the diaspora). I find them easily at East Indian grocers in Winnipeg Canada, so anywhere that has an East Indian population and associated food stores should be able to help you out. They're delicious - earthy yet mild...a taste that's hard to describe for someone brought up on a western diet. There's a great write up on them on the Food52 website. Don't buy dried - the fresh ones freeze well.

When a recipe calls for "curry powder", please tell us what is meant - is it Madras, Jamaican, (or any of a thousand alternatives) - what are the ingredients? This is the beating heart of the recipe and we have no idea what rhythm is sought.

As a retired chef I would say it doesn't matter. The main thing is that the rice is cooked, cold and the grains are separate. It's best using day old rice and is a good way to use left over cooked rice.

Is there a decent substitute for the fresh curry leaves? They are simply unavailable where I live, and the curry plant at the garden store doesn't look like the plant leaves sold on Amazon (with lousy reviews, not fresh, tasteless, moldy, etc.).

I would hear stories about my Grandpa (born in India) and how he liked his curried rice HOT. I remember the smells of the curry my Grandma (St Kitts) would make in my Aunt’s kitchen next door to us in Brooklyn. A very strong, foreign odor. I never ate it as a child. After my first Indian meal as an adult, I rued the lost opportunity.

This dish is incredible! I just threw everything in the instant pot on sauté and cooked on high pressure for 20 min. 1:1 ratio water and rice, perfect. Maybe I’d add a little extra water next time. Substituted a Serrano for the habaneros and was the perfect amount of spicy for me

What are curry leaves? Curry is a mixture of spices, not a specific plant. Or does the term refer to the leaves of the Thai lime tree, which are fragrant and used in Thai cooking?