Is there anything better than a truly exceptional curry? The word itself comes from the Indian name for gravy or relish, and has become an accepted umbrella term for many sauce-based dishes seasoned with spices and with South Asian origins. Curries somehow embody the regional tastes, flavours, culinary history and cultural influences of a region like no other dishes. From soothing classics to lesser-known gravies and dishes that originated in India and now please palates around the world, here we countdown to reveal the greatest of them all.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most delicious curries the world has to offer. How many have you tried?

We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each curry in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.