h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd say it was quite close to an authentic curry. It just lacks the spice blend (typically fenugreek, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and cinnamon) which gives it that pungent edge, but no heat.

After much research I am finally coming close to perfecting a Birmingham-style balti, as good as you would get in a restaurant, and I can safely say that the most important of all the above ingredients is ginger. Ginger is not only the primary source of a curry's heat (not, as you might think, chillies), but a key consituent of both flavour and (if correctly prepared) texture.

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Exactly what defines an 'Authentic Curry'?

Most of the dishes on sale at your local tandoori restaurant are the same as dishes on sale at you not-so-local tandoori restaurant. Many of the dishes are unheard of outside the UK.

Many people perceive a 'Curry' as being an indian dish. I'm not convinced. Many of the spices are from indian sub-continent origin, but many of the 'standard' curries (madras, dupiaza, massala, and in extreme cases, phall) seem to be english inventions. The kurma/korma seems to be about the most authentic dish out there.

So, what think thee? My bowling team is quite fond of a night at the dogs and a curry every so often (and if we carry on playing as bad as we have been, the fines will soon mount up), and on these occasions, we're not particularly bothered about how authentic something is, but would someone who knows for sure please comment...

Sorry, I remain unconvinced. The word 'curry' comes from 'khari', a word still in use in India to denote a cooking pot (like balti).

A lot of what we know as curries are admittedly of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin, but all the claims that 'Indians never actually eat curries' are rubbish. They do, just not every day. Same as English people don't have roast beef every day.

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