Like cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey, we love Thai curries with “an unholy passion.” Curry pastes—those pungent blends of shallots, garlic, lemon grass, galangal and of course red or green chiles—are so addictive when mixed with coconut milk and lime leaves that the addition of shrimp or pork or chicken seems almost an afterthought.
Culinary scholars may bicker over curry’s exact origins, but all agree that India was its birthplace. As Jaffrey notes in From Curries to Kebabs, the subcontinent’s wondrous blends of spices and cooking techniques gave rise to delicious new dishes, as Indian emigrants adapted foods of their homeland to new ingredients found in countries around the globe.
On February 16th, Jaffrey will join other culinary mavens at Asia Society in New York for a panel discussion, “Currying Favor: A History of Indian Food in America.” She will be joined by Tabla chef, Floyd Cardoz, Union Square Hospitality Group president Danny Meyer, cookbook author Julie Sahni, Bombay Times food critic, Rashmi Uday Singh and others as they explore the popularity of Indian food in America, the variety of regional cuisines available here, and the latest trends in Indian food. Mimi Sheraton will moderate.
For details, contact: Asia Society and Museum, 725 Park Avenue, New York City. Telephone: 212.288.6400. Web: www.asiasociety.org.