Korma

One of the mildest curries on most menus and a safe harbor for anyone wary of chili. Meat or vegetables are slow-cooked in a sauce enriched with yogurt, cream or coconut milk; British curry houses usually lean on coconut where traditional cooks would use a paste of almonds or cashews for that silky texture, with cardamom for fragrance. Expect it rich, gentle and a little sweet. It is the obvious pick for children and a useful cooling partner for someone else's madras. Mild should never mean bland, though: if all you can taste is sugar, blame the kitchen, not the dish.