5 Exciting Curry Dishes You Might Never Have Heard Of

Everyone has heard of curry, and likely have tried it at least once. However, there are so many types of curry that you’ve likely only tried a handful of them. There are countless different ways to prepare curry, with various parts of the world coming up with their own unique spin. If you’re looking to broaden your curry horizons and find something that might fit into your weekly schedule, you’re in luck. Here are some curry dishes that you likely have never heard of, but are sure to excite your taste buds.

5. Mutton Paya

Mutton paya, or mutton trotters, is typically a breakfast curry that’s served in India and can vary by region. Mutton paya is used with garlic and onions and mutton is added to the recipe to get things going. It just takes a few minutes to mix the ingredients (which also includes whole spices and oil) and all in all is only about a 30 minutes process. For the best results you can slow cook your mutton paya overnight or you can pick a different type of meat.

4. Kori Rotti

A main course that comes from the Tulunadu region of India, Kori Rotti is made when you combine a chicken curry with coconut milk and combine it with red chili, rice and wafers. Just make sure that you prepare your tongue for this dish, though, as it’s incredibly spicy (but tastes amazing). The preparation does take some time (at over an hour for cooking and prep) and will quickly become your new favorite.

3. Lucknowi Nihari Gosht

A curry that’s typically reserved for special occasions like the holiday of Eid, Nihari Gosht was once a royal dish that has caught on with everyone. There are a lot of ingredients that go into a good dish, including cinnamon, bay leaves and nutmeg mixed with yogurt. This dish takes a little bit longer to prepare, taking around an hour and a half from beginning to end. This colorful dish looks appetizing before you even start digging in, and the extra wait is worth it for the taste.

2. Kozhi Ishtew

Kozhi Ishtew is a very versatile curry since it doesn’t require a lot of expensive ingredients, has a short prep time and is able to appeal to a wide range of tastes and spice tolerance. You’ll need chicken as the main part of this curry and can be prepared through baking, steaming or whichever way will be easiest for you. Adding in potatoes, coconut, peppercorns and more, you can get yourself a great bowl of Kozhi Ishtew.

1. Massaman Curry

We finish off the list with a visit to Thailand for the beloved Massaman curry, which is a fusion of several other dishes and uses a slew of interesting ingredients. Among them are sugar, peanuts, onions, coconut milk and much more. The first published recipe actually called for orange juice to give a citrusy taste. The history of Massaman curry is actually quite long, dating back to the 17th century and has become a regional favorite. If given some more time, we may see this dish become one of the most popular in the world.