Curry is a generic description used throughout European culture to describe a general variety of side dishes, especially the Indian cuisine. It is analogous to "soup" or "stew" in that there is no particular ingredient that makes something "curry." The word curry is an anglicised version of the Tamil word kari,which is usually understood to mean "gravy" or "sauce" rather than "spices".
In most South Indian cuisines, a curry is considered a side-dish, which can be eaten along with a main dish like rice or bread. In British cuisine, the word "curry" is primarily used to denote a sauce-based dish flavoured with curry powder or a paste made from the powder and oils. The use of fresh spices such as ginger and garlic, and preparation of an initial masala from freshly ground dried spices are used to create the curry dish.
The British have long enjoyed food with a bit of bite. 200 years ago, an Indian migrant opened Britain's first curry house to cater for the fashion for spicy food.The popularity of curry among the general public was enhanced by the invention of "Coronation chicken" to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
The popularity of curry in the UK encouraged the growth of Indian restaurants. In addtion, the always growing popularity of curry houses has also encouraged a number of publications aiming to show how the curry house cuisine can be recreated at home. A notable publication is Kris Dhillon's book 'The Curry Secret'.