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Curry and कढ़ी are false cognates, AFAIK. According to Wikipedia [1]: "Curry is an anglicised form of the Tamil word kaṟi meaning 'sauce' or 'relish for rice'
by kranner 6y ago
Curry and कढ़ी are false cognates, AFAIK.
According to Wikipedia [1]:
"Curry is an anglicised form of the Tamil word kaṟi meaning 'sauce' or 'relish for rice' that uses the leaves of the curry tree (Murraya koenigii). The word kari is also used in other Dravidian languages, namely in Malayalam, Kannada and Kodava with the meaning of "vegetables (or meat) of any kind (raw or boiled), curry". Kaṟi is described in a mid-17th century Portuguese cookbook by members of the British East India Company, who were trading with Tamil merchants along the Coromandel Coast of southeast India, becoming known as a "spice blend ... called kari podi or curry powder". The first known appearance in its anglicised form (spelled currey) appears in a 1747 book of recipes published by Hannah Glasse."
Another theory suggests the same root, but a longer journey via Portuguese settlers:
Tamil 'kaṟi' -> Portuguese 'carel' -> English 'curry'
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry#Etymology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry#Etymology
- vram22 6y agoYep. Kari in Tamil also means meat, I'm not sure if it is of a specific animal (maybe mutton - which is goat meat in India), or a generic term. But AFAIK when used in that sense, it does not include chicken, fish, etc.
- rusticpenn 6y agoKari basically comes from Coal/wood ( which is also called kari), probably from wood stoves used for cooking.
- OJFord 6y agoSurely कढ़ी also comes from कढ़ी पत्ता (curry leaf) doesn't it?
- kranner 6y agoAh, no it doesn't. कढ़ी comes from the verb काढ़ना, whose past tense is कढ़ी (हुई) [1][2], which in this context means something which has been thickened/reduced over heat. Curry leaves have nothing to do with the etymology of कढ़ी. They are not even used in North Indian variations of Kadhi, as e.g. in Punjab. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadhi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadhi [2] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A2%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A2%E...
- OJFord 6y agoOh interesting, thanks, I just assumed! The version I make is totally inauthentic then, having both curry leaves and pakore..! Still, tastes good * shrugs*.