Types of Curry: An Indian Curry Heat Guide from Korma to Vindaloo (and Which One to Order)

Anyone who has scrolled a curry menu will recognise the questions. Is a karahi hotter than a bhuna? What is the difference between a masala and a tikka masala? Which one can I order for the children? The names tell you a lot about tradition and very little about what is going to happen on your plate.

This guide answers those questions for the CurryOut range. Every curry we sell carries a chilli rating on our shop, from one chilli (mild) to four (X hot). The table below puts them all in one place, with what gives each dish its flavour and who it tends to suit, and the sections underneath explain each one using what actually goes into our recipes rather than what a textbook says a korma or a vindaloo should be. Everything is cooked in our Batley kitchen from the family recipes we have used since 1996, blast chilled and delivered chilled across mainland UK.

How our chilli rating works

Every curry on the CurryOut shop shows between one and four red chillies.

One chilli, mild. No real chilli heat. You taste the spices, not the burn.

Two chillies, medium. A gentle, everyday warmth. This is where most of our range sits and where most British curry eaters are happiest.

Three chillies, hot. A proper kick. Chilli powder moves up the ingredients list and green chillies join in.

Four chillies, X hot. Our hottest. Chilli powder is the second ingredient after the chicken.

Heat and spice are not the same thing: a korma is full of garam masala, coriander and cinnamon and still sits at one chilli, because the spicing is aromatic rather than hot. The ratings compare our dishes with each other, not with a curry you had somewhere else. If you have an allergy or an intolerance, the full ingredients and allergen list on each product page is the place to check before you order, not this guide.

Every CurryOut Indian curry at a glance

Curry	Heat (out of 4)	Main flavour	Who it suits
Chicken Korma	1	Creamy with a little coconut, gently sweet, aromatic garam masala	Children, first-timers, anyone who wants flavour without heat
Chicken Bhuna	1	Thick, reduced tomato and onion, tandoori spicing	People who like a drier, richer curry without the heat
Kheema Bhuna Peas	1	Minced beef and peas in a thick tomato sauce	A filling, mild option; good with naan
Chicken Tikka Masala	2	Creamy tomato sauce with tandoori spice	The classic; anyone who wants mild-to-medium and familiar
Butter Chicken	2	Smooth tomato and onion sauce, a hint of green chilli	Fans of a smooth sauce with a touch more warmth than korma
Chicken Masala	2	Our house tomato, onion and fenugreek sauce	The all-rounder for a mixed table
Chicken Tandoori Masala	2	Yoghurt and tandoori spice in a tomato base	Anyone who likes the tandoori flavour of a tikka
Chicken Masala (Asian Style)	2	House masala finished with fresh coriander and green chillies	People who want the home-style version with a fresher finish
Chicken Rogan Josh	2	Peppers and onions in a tomato sauce	Those who like a bit of texture and a medium warmth
Chicken Karahi	2	Whole cinnamon, cardamom and bay with peppers	Anyone who enjoys whole-spice aroma over sauce
Chicken Tikka Garlic Balti	2	Garlic-led tomato and yoghurt sauce with peppers	Garlic lovers
Chicken Jalfrezi	2	Green chillies, onion and tomato	People who like fresh green chilli flavour at a medium heat
Garlic Chilli Chicken	2	Garlic and green chillies in a tomato sauce	Those who want garlic and chilli flavour without going to hot
Chicken & Spinach	2	Spinach cooked into a tomato and fenugreek sauce	A slightly earthier, greener medium curry
Beef & Spinach	2	Beef and spinach in the same style	Beef eaters who want something other than a masala
Beef Masala	2	House masala sauce with beef	A richer alternative to the chicken masala
Kheema Masala	2	Minced beef in the house masala sauce	Great over rice or stuffed into a naan
Fish Masala	2	Fish in the house tomato and fenugreek sauce	Anyone who does not eat meat but does eat fish
Vegetable Masala	2	Mixed vegetables and sweetcorn in masala sauce	Vegetarians and anyone adding a veg dish to the table
Aloo Palak	2	Potato and spinach	A comforting vegetarian main or side
Paneer Palak	2	Paneer cheese and spinach	Vegetarians who want something more substantial
Chana Dhall	2	Lentils in a tomato and fenugreek sauce	Everyone; the dish that quietly disappears first
Chicken Biryani	2	Spiced chicken and basmati rice with whole spices	A one-tub meal that needs no rice
Chicken Madras	3	Chilli powder and green chillies in a tomato base	People who want a proper kick without going all the way
Beef Madras	3	The same hot madras sauce with beef	Beef eaters who like heat
Kheema Madras	3	Hot madras sauce with minced beef	A hot dish that scoops well with bread
Chicken Vindaloo	4	Our hottest: chilli powder is the second ingredient	Those who order the hottest thing on the menu on purpose

Mild: one chilli

Chicken Korma

The mildest curry we make and the usual answer to “which one can the children have?” Our korma is a creamy sauce made with evaporated milk and coconut powder, a little sugar, coriander powder, garam masala and tomato purée; korma is widely regarded as the mildest of all the Indian curries, and ours keeps that rich, gentle style. There is no real chilli heat, only warmth from the spice blend, which is why people who “don’t do spicy” come back to it.

Chicken Bhuna and Kheema Bhuna Peas

“What is bhuna?” is one of the most searched curry questions, and the answer is a cooking method rather than a heat level: the spices are fried and the sauce is cooked down until it is thick and clings to the meat. Our Chicken Bhuna is tomato purée, onion, garlic and ginger with garam masala and tandoori masala, reduced right down, at one chilli. Kheema Bhuna Peas is the minced beef version with peas. Both want bread rather than a spoon.

Medium: two chillies

Most of the range sits here, so it helps to think of the medium dishes in families.

The creamy and tandoori dishes

Chicken Tikka Masala is Britain’s favourite curry, and ours is pieces of chicken tikka in a smooth, creamy sauce made with evaporated milk, tomato purée, tandoori masala, garam masala and fenugreek leaves, with tomatoes helping give the sauce its familiar base and colour. The tandoori spicing gives it a little more warmth and a deeper colour than the korma. Chicken Tandoori Masala leans on natural yoghurt and tandoori masala for a tangier, redder sauce; yoghurt is what tandoori-style chicken is traditionally marinated in. Chicken Tikka Garlic Balti takes the same route and adds plenty of garlic and peppers. A balti is named after the round steel bowl the dish is traditionally cooked and served in.

The house masalas

A masala is simply a spiced sauce, and ours is built on tomato purée, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander powder, garam masala, tandoori masala and fenugreek leaves. Chicken Masala is the all-rounder. Chicken Masala (Asian Style) is the same sauce finished with fresh coriander and green chillies, which gives it a fresher, home-cooked edge. Beef Masala and Kheema Masala put beef and minced beef into the same sauce. Butter Chicken is our smooth tomato and onion version with garam masala and a hint of green chilli; it sits at two chillies, so it carries a touch more warmth than the korma people often compare it with.

The whole-spice and pepper dishes

A karahi is named after the two-handled iron pan it is cooked in. Our Chicken Karahi is built on whole spices, with cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and green cardamoms cooked with peppers, garlic and ginger, so the aroma comes first and the sauce is lighter than a masala. Chicken Rogan Josh is our take on a Kashmiri lamb curry known for aromatic spices, using chicken but keeping the same tomato-based gravy with onions, peppers and tandoori spicing, and it is a good next step for anyone who has been living on tikka masala.

The green chilli dishes

Jalfrezi is often translated as “hot fry”, and this tangy, spicy curry is commonly associated with Bengal. Our Chicken Jalfrezi is chicken with green chillies, onion, tomato purée and garam masala; the fresh flavour from the chillies is there but it stays at a medium two. Garlic Chilli Chicken pairs green chillies with plenty of garlic and a little chilli powder in a tomato and tandoori sauce, again at two chillies.

The spinach dishes

Spinach cooked into the house sauce makes a curry earthier and greener. Chicken & Spinach and Beef & Spinach both sit at two.

Chicken Biryani

Not a curry, but people ask. Our Chicken Biryani is chicken cooked with basmati rice, cinnamon sticks, green cardamoms and whole black pepper, rated two chillies, and a meal in a tub with no rice needed.

Hot: three chillies

Chicken Madras, Beef Madras and Kheema Madras

Our madras is where the heat becomes the point. Across Indian curries generally, madras is thought of as the hot one that most people can still manage. Chilli powder is the second ingredient after the meat and green chillies go in too, over the same tomato, onion, garlic and ginger base. Chicken Madras, Beef Madras and Kheema Madras all sit at three chillies. Order rice alongside and a pot of yoghurt sauce for anyone who overreaches.

X hot: four chillies

Chicken Vindaloo

The hottest dish we make. Vindaloo is widely considered one of the hottest Indian curries on any menu. Our Chicken Vindaloo is chicken with chilli powder as the second ingredient, then garam masala, tandoori masala, onions, tomato purée, garlic and ginger. It is cooked to be enjoyed, not to win a bet, but it is a clear step above the madras and not the one for a first-timer.

Madras vs vindaloo: what is the difference?

In our kitchen the two share the same base and spice blends, and across Indian curries generally madras is the hot one and vindaloo one of the hottest of all. The difference is the chilli: the madras has chilli powder and green chillies for a three; the vindaloo pushes the chilli powder further for a four. If you enjoy our madras and want to go up a notch, vindaloo is the natural move. If the madras is already your limit, stay there.

Tikka masala vs butter chicken vs korma

These three are often grouped together on an Indian restaurant or Indian takeaway menu as the safer choices for people avoiding too much heat, but they are not the same. The korma is the mildest, creamy with a little coconut and gently sweet, at one chilli. The tikka masala is also creamy, but the tandoori-spiced chicken and tandoori masala give it more depth and a medium two. The main ingredients that separate the three are the korma’s sweeter creamy base, the tikka masala’s tandoori-led sauce, and the butter chicken’s smooth tomato and onion base with a hint of green chilli, also at two. For children, korma. For mild but not sweet, butter chicken. For the classic, tikka masala.

The fish dish

Fish Masala is our one fish curry: pieces of fish in the house tomato and fenugreek sauce at two chillies. It is the natural choice for anyone at the table who does not eat meat but does eat fish.

The vegetarian dishes

Heat in the vegetarian dishes follows the same house sauce, so all four sit at two chillies. Chana Dhall is lentils in the tomato and fenugreek sauce and one of the most comforting things on the menu. Aloo Palak is potato and spinach. Paneer Palak swaps the potato for cubes of paneer, Indian cottage cheese. Vegetable Masala is mixed vegetables and sweetcorn in the house sauce. You can browse all of our vegetarian curries together as easy comfort food for a mixed table.

How to order for a mixed table

For four people, order two milder dishes and two with more warmth, and let everyone mix on the plate. A korma or a bhuna, a tikka masala or a house masala, a karahi or a rogan josh, and a madras for whoever wants it covers almost any table. Add a pot of Yoghurt Sauce or Indian Raita for anyone who overreaches, and Mango Chutney for the children. Plain Boiled Rice tames heat better than pilau. Our portion guide will tell you how many tubs to order.

For a larger gathering the same logic scales: one mild dish for every hot one, never fewer than two mild options. Our catering packages let you choose two, three or four dishes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the mildest Indian curry?

On our menu, Chicken Korma at one chilli, followed by Chicken Bhuna and Kheema Bhuna Peas. Korma is a creamy, gently sweet sauce made with evaporated milk and coconut powder, with aromatic spices and no real chilli heat; it is generally considered the mildest Indian curry on any menu.

What is the hottest Indian curry?

On our menu, Chicken Vindaloo at four chillies, followed by the three madras dishes at three. We do not make anything hotter, and vindaloo is widely regarded as one of the hottest Indian curries there is.

Is a karahi hotter than a bhuna?

On our scale, yes by one chilli: the karahi is a two and the bhuna a one. The bigger difference is style. A bhuna is thick and reduced; a karahi is lighter and built on whole spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and bay.

What is the difference between tikka masala and butter chicken?

Our tikka masala is creamy, made with evaporated milk and tandoori spicing. Our butter chicken is a smooth tomato and onion sauce with a hint of green chilli. Both are two chillies.

What is the difference between madras and vindaloo?

Both are hot, tomato-based dishes from the same base. The vindaloo carries more chilli powder and is rated four; the madras is rated three.

Which curry should I order if I’ve never had one?

Chicken Tikka Masala or Chicken Korma. Both are mild enough for anyone and a fair introduction to the spicing, making them approachable entry points into Indian cuisine.

Are all your curries halal?

Yes. All of our meat products are halal, and everything is cooked in our HACCP-compliant kitchen in Batley.

Curry beyond India

Curry is one of the world’s most diverse culinary traditions, shaped by local spices from India and far beyond. British curry grew out of Indian cooking adapted for Western palates. Caribbean curries reflect the same roots through local ingredients, and Jamaican curry is known for yellow curry powder, turmeric and Scotch bonnet peppers. Thai curries rely on fresh herb and chilli pastes blended with coconut milk, while Japanese curry uses a roux-based block, which makes it thicker, milder and sweeter. Everything on this page is the British Indian tradition, cooked the way our family has cooked it since 1996.

Try the whole scale

The easiest way to learn your heat level is to order across it. Pick a korma, a masala and a madras from the CurryOut curries, add rice and naan, and you have a tasting menu for two. Order by 12pm for next-day chilled delivery across mainland UK (£30 minimum, free delivery over £80), or collect from the shop in Batley. Then come back and tell us which one you would order again.