You know those big round crisp-like things they serve in Indian restaurants right at the beginning of your meal?  You know the ones, they’re served with onion salad, mango chutney and lime pickle?

We all know what they’re called, but how do you spell it?

A debate has been sparked at Curry Culture HQ as to the correct spelling of the word poppadom (just one example).  Look at any selection of Indian menus and we’ll guarantee there’ll be different spellings of the popular appetiser.  It got us thinking, why are there so many spellings and which is the right one?  Is it popadum, poppadom, pappadom…. the list goes on.

Online directories suggest there are geographic and regional variances that have developed, mainly due to different pronunciations.  But it’s got us thinking about other spelling variations.  How about karahi or is it korai or karai or even khorai?

On the back of this discussion we’ve decided to launch a curry glossary of popular Indian restaurant terms.  We hope to dispel confusion over ingredients, cooking techniques, dishes and more and where there are discrepancies, at least offer an explanation as to why.

If you fancy helping us with our glossary, or can think of any examples of where people often get confused with curry terms, let us know by contacting us at info@curryculture.co.uk.