by Tony A Grayson
Madras Curry is curry (a sauce made from curry powder) that is distinctive to Madras (the former name of a major city in India, now called Chennai) that is set on the Coromandel Coast that borders the Bay of Bengal. The components of curry powder include: chili powder, turmeric, pepper, and ground ginger, cumin, plus coriander. The powder (and curry sauce) of the Madras Curry has a signature red appearance. There are other types and colors of Indian Curry.
Madras Curry Sauce is the central element of any dish on which it is served. Even cauliflower, a somewhat overlooked vegetable, can gain regal status when it is drenched in Madras spicy red curry. The spice will withstand the further creativity of a chef. Add some crunch with nuts: almonds, or even pistachios. Add some chew: raisins, or perhaps pitted dates. Build upon the cauliflower by adding rice to dam the sea of curry so that the bite-sized portions of cauliflower become islands in the dish. Spread about a cup of Cilantro leaves to draw out the uninformed (some diners believe that you created a Mexican dish).
If you add the rice, be certain that you choose the slender aromatic grains of Basmati Rice, the centuries-old cultivated rice of India. Your guests will ask you, and you would rather say, "Of course the rice is Basmati," than to say, "Umm, Bass what?" As you share this fine dish with others, consider teaching them some history about Madras. It was once the capital of the Honorable East India Company (HEIC), aka British East India Company, which stood for 200 years. If your guests are from India, then don't talk about the HEIC. They will not want to hear it. Remember that the people of India ditched the name Madras for Chennai.