Curry powder is a spice mix of widely varying composition based on South Asian cuisine. Curry powder and the contemporary English use of the word "curry" are Western inventions and do not reflect any specific South Asian food, though a similar mixture of spices used in north South Asia is called garam masala. The word "curry" is derived from the Tamil word kari meaning "sauce, relish for rice". However, use of curry-like mixtures was prevalent in South Asia long before the arrival of Europeans in India. In fact, almost 4000 years prior, spice blends with key ingredients of ginger, garlic, and turmeric were used in the Indus Valley Civilization. The chili pepper, a ubiquitous ingredient in curry today, was brought to South Asia from the Americas through the Columbian Exchange in the 16th ce