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Curry Today and Tomorrow

From its inception, curry was a product of globalization, spread throughout the world by merchants and traders, missionaries, colonial administrators and their wives, indentured labourers and immigrants. In the twenty-first century, curry remains the global dish par excellence as people move more freely between continents, and spices and other ingredients once considered exotic are standard items on supermarket shelves.

Curry’s popularity is being enhanced by social and economic trends, especially in the developed world. One is a growing preference for spicier, ‘hotter’ food. This reflects not only consumers’ greater sophistication and cosmopolitanism – Italian, Thai and Chinese meals, once considered ethnic and exotic, are now everyday fare in North America and the UK – but the exigencies of an ageing population. As baby boomers grow older, their senses of smell and taste deteriorate along with their eyesight and hearing, which means it takes more flavour to titillate their palates. Food experts have identified a preference for hot, spicy and bold flavours as one of the main consumer trends in the twenty-first century.

Health concerns also play a role. For thousands of years, spices have been used for prevention and cures in Indian, Chinese and Indonesian systems of medicine. Today studies at leading medical centres are confirming the truth of this ancient wisdom. Of all the spices under investigation, the one that shows the most potential in preventing and curing diseases is turmeric, a key ingredient in curry powder. It holds the promise of slowing down or even curing many chronic maladies, ranging from indigestion and cold sores to diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Similar studies are under way for cinnamon, garlic, ginger and other spices.

Thus curry, the world’s most global dish, promises to remain a centrepiece of the world’s tables for many years to come.