305: How curry conquered the world

<div>There is no doubt that the UK is a nation of curry lovers, curry addicts even, with many of our best, and biggest nights out happening in Indian restaurants.  <br> <br> They are a huge player in the UK food industry. Estimates vary, but one trade group suggests curry houses employ 100,000 people and have annual sales of £4.2 billion.  And that’s not even counting supermarket sales, <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/article/10-must-read-books-about-food-ingredients-and-nutrition/">recipe book</a> sales, and so on.   <br> <br> The impact on our food culture is immense.<br> <br> And the UK is not alone. In so many parts of the world, there’s a big curry culture. Whether you’re sitting under palm trees in Durban, or on a night out in Glasgow, you’re part of a global curry scene.<br> <br> And with this global spread comes a fascinating <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/podcasts/series/the-history-of-food-podcasts/">history</a>, bringing together centuries of trade, immigration, colonisation and culinary innovation.<br> <br> But how do you define a curry? Why has this amalgamation of cuisines become so popular? And what does the future hold?<br> <br> Listen to the full episode to find out why the British in particular have fallen in love with curry, how curry powder first emerged, and how curry has travelled around the world and influenced so many dishes.<br> <br> <strong>Shrabani Basu, Journalist and Author<br> </strong><br> Shrabani Basu is a journalist and <em>Sunday Times</em> best-selling author. Her books include the critically acclaimed <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mystery-of-the-parsee-lawyer/shrabani-basu/9781526615312"><strong><em>The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer: </em></strong><strong>Arthur Conan Doyle</strong></a><strong>, </strong><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Parsee-Lawyer-Foreigner-English/dp/1526615282"><strong>George Edalji and the Foreigner in the English Village</strong></a><strong><em>, </em></strong><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Another-Country-Sold