Alright, let’s dive into this “2015 curry” thing. It’s been a while, but the memory’s still kinda fresh, like the smell of those spices back then.
So, picture this: it’s 2015. I’m just starting to get serious about cooking. I’d been making the same few dishes over and over, and I was bored stiff. I needed a challenge, something new to sink my teeth into. I decided on curry. Why? Honestly, it smelled amazing, looked complicated (which meant fun!), and I loved eating it.
First things first, I hit up the local grocery store. I remember wandering around like a lost puppy, trying to figure out what the heck I actually needed. “Curry powder,” seemed obvious. But then I saw all the different kinds: Madras, Vindaloo, mild, hot… my head was spinning! I grabbed a generic “curry powder” blend, figuring I could always adjust it later.
Next, veggies. I went with the standards: onions, garlic, ginger (fresh, because I was feeling fancy), potatoes, carrots, and some frozen peas. I also picked up a can of coconut milk – because every curry recipe I glanced at seemed to have it.
Got home, laid everything out on the counter. Looked like a rainbow exploded. Time to get started. I roughly followed a recipe I found online (don’t even remember where now). Chopped the onions (cried a little, like always), minced the garlic and ginger (made the kitchen smell amazing!), and cubed the potatoes and carrots.
I heated up some oil in a big pot – probably olive oil, because that’s all I usually used back then. Sautéed the onions until they were translucent and starting to brown. Then added the garlic and ginger, stirring like a madman so they didn’t burn. The aroma was building up, starting to feel legit.
Next in went the potatoes and carrots. I stirred them around, coating them in the onion-garlic-ginger goodness. Then came the curry powder. I sprinkled it in, probably too much, judging by the eventual color. Stirred that all together until everything was coated in a thick, yellowish paste.
Then, the coconut milk. Poured the whole can in. Gave it a good stir. Added some water too, because the recipe said to. Brought it all to a simmer, covered the pot, and let it bubble away for what felt like forever – maybe 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots were tender.
A few minutes before the end, I tossed in the frozen peas. Stirred them around until they were heated through. And that was it! My first ever curry.
The verdict? It was…okay. Definitely not the best curry I’ve ever had. A little bland, maybe a bit too much curry powder. The potatoes were slightly undercooked, and the sauce was a bit watery. But hey, I made it myself! And it was edible. That was a win in my book.
Lessons learned from the 2015 curry experiment:
- Fresh spices are your friend. Ditch the pre-mixed curry powder and start experimenting with individual spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, etc.
- Layer the flavors. Don’t just dump everything in at once. Sauté the onions and aromatics properly, bloom the spices in the oil to release their flavors.
- Taste as you go. Adjust the seasonings as you cook. Add more salt, pepper, chili powder – whatever it needs.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Curry is a very forgiving dish. Try adding different vegetables, meats, or legumes. See what you like.
That 2015 curry wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was the start of something. It sparked my curiosity, made me want to learn more about cooking, and eventually led me to making some pretty damn good curries. So, yeah, even the not-so-great attempts are worth it in the long run.
