Curry powder is a
spice mix of widely varying composition based on
South Asian cuisine. Curry powder and the contemporary English use of the word "
curry" are Western inventions and do not reflect any specific
South Asian food, though a similar mixture of spices used in north
South Asia is called
garam masala. The word "curry" is derived from the
Tamil word
kari meaning "sauce, relish for rice". However, use of curry was prevalent in
South Asia much before the advent of Europeans in India. In fact, almost 4000 years prior to the advent of Europeans, curry with key ingredients of
ginger,
garlic, and
turmeric was used in the
Indus Valley Civilization. However,
chili peppers, today a vital ingredient in both European and South Asian curry, was brought to South Asia from the
Americas through the
Columbian Exchange in the 16th century.