CURRY LEAVES

Some one asked what Curry leaves are?

Curry leaves:

Curry leaves are very popular in India, especially in South India. Every household has at least one tree. We are so used to its taste that even when living in flats, at least one tree is grown in a pot. Its a bit difficult to grow these plants at first. But once they survive, they are very hardy and easy to maintain. Many small plants come up from the roots and from the seeds of the fruit and after sometime, its difficult to get rid of these stubborn plants. You have them growing everywhere.

This is a small plant either germinated from the seed or from root of a big tree. 

 

This is the canopy of the grown tree. The tree is medium sized but has a dense canopy and needs prunning after the fruiting. Flowers are very small and white in colour. The fruit are small and berry shaped. They are first green in colour and later on turn black and drop off. Birds are attracted to these fruit. They eat them and drop the seeds. Now these are a menace because they give way to so many plants and removing those plants has become a night mare for me. They have roots very deep into soil even though they are very small plants. 

 

This is its trunk. This has been in my garden perhaps for past ten years or so.

Curry leaves are known as Karvepaku in Telugu and Kadi Patta in Hindi. Kari means black Vepaku means Neem leaves. The Curry leaves resemble the Neem leaves and are dark green/bottle green almost black in colour. They have a very distinct flavour.  Some of the uses are:

• They are rich in calcium and vitamin A. 
• aids in good digestion
• relieves colic pain and gases
  
• improves taste buds
• helps in stopping nausea and vomiting
  
• anti viral, anti bacterial and anti fungal
• The root, bark and leaves all have medicinal properties. 
• Ten to twelve leaves if consumed on empty stomach early in the morning helps in reducing wieght and also diabetes.

They are used in seasoning. Especially down South India. Andhra cuisine is not complete without this leaf. These leaves are used fresh, dried or powdered. Chutney and curry powder is made out of these leaves.

I will share some of the recipes using these leaves shortly.