What is Curry?

If you want a sure-fire way to offend an Indian in an ignorant, latently racist fashion, tell them that they smell like curry. Rather than point out your racial insensitivities, they will probably ask you what curry is or simply tell you that there is no such thing as curry.
Huh? Is not curry a spice?
Well, not really.
Curry is an incredibly ambiguous term.
However, the term appears to be derived from the Tamil term, kari, which refers to a type of South Indian sauce. Before bastardizing the word, the British used the phrase to refer to a stew of sorts. Said application is not completely incorrect as Indian cuisine is often stew like, cooked at low temperatures for extended periods of time.
However, despite the Tamil roots, the term is rare in the south as are the stewed and meat laden dishes of the north a la Chicken Vindaloo. (Here is the Indian equivalent of ordering a n Extreme Jalapeno Popper in Mexico City.) In the ancient cuisine of the south, aromatics such as hot peppers, mustard seed, and hing are first toasted, then vegetables are added to mix and slowly cooked. The bouquet is essential and the cuisine is akin to Italian cooking as far as an emphasis on simple flavors in perfect proportions. The dish is often mixed with any number of lentil based concotions, pickled mango, and jasmine-esque rice flavored with rasam or samobar. The combination of these components results in that aroma and taste that confusion labels as curry.
Of course, the term has applications in North Indian and Thai gastronomy as well, but these appear about a millennium after the development of Tamil techniques; so, the explanation there can wait a day or two.
So, what is that smell?
And, what is that spice?
Well, curry powder does exist. It is the relic of imperialism to be exact. During the British occupation of the Subcontinent, the colonialist discovered that they enjoyed Indian cuisine, but found it difficult to replicate on the Isle. Consequently, they invented the fore-runner to shake n' bake: curry powder. The stuff is meant to imitate the stereotypical taste of Indian food, and is actually a mixture of dried spices. Those little jars from McCormick generally are a mix of cinnamon, clove, tumeric, cardamom, pepper, and mustard seed. The concept is that simply by seasoning a dish with the blend, it will taste "Indian"!