The taste of curry changes depending on which part of the world it originates. Curries are part of Indian, Thai, Pakistani, Malaysian and many other cuisines. The meaning of the word itself has long been debated, but seems to come from the Tamil word kari, which means spiced gravy. The Japanese first tasted curry when the British arrived in Japan in the 19th century, bringing it with them from India.

I love all curry because I like the textural depth it gives to dishes. I am always amazed how each country adapted curry to fit their tastes. The only constant is heat, but even that changes with the different peppers grown.

The Japanese form of curry is richer, sweeter and thicker than Indian curry, and it uses lots of turmeric for it its distinctive yellow look. It is served with Japanese short-grain rice. For a quick meal, the Japanese often serve curry sauce over rice.

Try these delicious recipes:

Japanese chicken curry

Japanese curry powder

Napa cabbage pickles

Cucumber pickles

Chilled orange salad