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I actually never heard the word "curry" used to describe those dishes until I started living in foreign countries. In casual Hindi conversation they would just

I actually never heard the word "curry" used to describe those dishes until I started living in foreign countries. In casual Hindi conversation they would just be called by the individual item's name; especially because most Indian dishes are named literally after their primary ingredients [1]. The closest generic word for them is probably sabzi (literally "vegetables"), but I'm not sure what you'd use for non-vegetarian curries and if there's a generic word that encompasses both veg and non-veg curries. [1]: Palak paneer = palak (spinach) + paneer (cottage cheese); chana masala = chana (garbanzo beans) + masala (spice); matar paneer = matar (peas) + paneer; aloo gobi = aloo (potato) + gobi (cauliflower); and so on.

rusticpenn 6y ago
Thats because its a Tamil word.
OJFord 6y ago
Oh of course, I was more mocking my fellow (non-Indian) countrymen, not for a second imagining Indians also call all those things 'curry'. We also have 'naan bread' and 'lentil dal'... I might sympathise with the former if we also said 'ciabatta bread' and 'brioche bread', etc. but we don't, for whatever reason it's unique to naan. > I'm not sure what you'd use for non-vegetarian curries and if there's a generic word that encompasses both veg and non-veg curries Khaana (food) I suppose! :)
- Arnavion 6y ago
  >> I'm not sure what you'd use for non-vegetarian curries and if there's a generic word that encompasses both veg and non-veg curries >Khaana (food) I suppose! :) I meant the word you would put in this conversation: Customer at restaurant: I want four chapattis. Waiter: Okay, and what ____ would you like with that? Customer: One palak paneer and one chicken tikka masala. Khaana won't work there. Sabzi, as I said, would work if it was a vegetarian restaurant so the only choices were vegetarian curries. Playing the conversation in my head, I can only imagine the waiter saying "And what would you like with that?" It might be one of those words that's just straight-up missing and nobody notices, like how Hindi doesn't have a word for "You're welcome." (what you would say as a response to "Thank you.")
  - OJFord 6y ago
    I can't think of an English word to use there either though? Like you say, they'd just say 'what would you like with that'. > "You're welcome." (what you would say as a response to "Thank you.") Heh, I'll try not to rant off-topic too much, but I wouldn't: I'm British, an American certainly would, and it's (or in particular its overuse and insincerity is) a pet hate of mine... (I think kuch nahin / koi baat nahin are used with about the same frequency as 'no worries' / 'no problem' / 'it's nothing' in British English?) ... 'Thanks for your reply' -- 'You're so welcome!' -- shudders ...
- rusticpenn 6y ago
  In Tamil, non veg currys are also curries.

rusticpenn 6y ago

Thats because its a Tamil word.

OJFord 6y ago

Oh of course, I was more mocking my fellow (non-Indian) countrymen, not for a second imagining Indians also call all those things 'curry'. We also have 'naan bread' and 'lentil dal'... I might sympathise with the former if we also said 'ciabatta bread' and 'brioche bread', etc. but we don't, for whatever reason it's unique to naan. > I'm not sure what you'd use for non-vegetarian curries and if there's a generic word that encompasses both veg and non-veg curries Khaana (food) I suppose! :)

Arnavion 6y ago
>> I'm not sure what you'd use for non-vegetarian curries and if there's a generic word that encompasses both veg and non-veg curries >Khaana (food) I suppose! :) I meant the word you would put in this conversation: Customer at restaurant: I want four chapattis. Waiter: Okay, and what ____ would you like with that? Customer: One palak paneer and one chicken tikka masala. Khaana won't work there. Sabzi, as I said, would work if it was a vegetarian restaurant so the only choices were vegetarian curries. Playing the conversation in my head, I can only imagine the waiter saying "And what would you like with that?" It might be one of those words that's just straight-up missing and nobody notices, like how Hindi doesn't have a word for "You're welcome." (what you would say as a response to "Thank you.")
- OJFord 6y ago
  I can't think of an English word to use there either though? Like you say, they'd just say 'what would you like with that'. > "You're welcome." (what you would say as a response to "Thank you.") Heh, I'll try not to rant off-topic too much, but I wouldn't: I'm British, an American certainly would, and it's (or in particular its overuse and insincerity is) a pet hate of mine... (I think kuch nahin / koi baat nahin are used with about the same frequency as 'no worries' / 'no problem' / 'it's nothing' in British English?) ... 'Thanks for your reply' -- 'You're so welcome!' -- shudders ...
rusticpenn 6y ago
In Tamil, non veg currys are also curries.