Curry Leaves

Curry leaves come from the curry tree, which is native to India. The tree grows best in a region that is hot and humid. The curry tree is somewhat small and can be grown indoors or outdoors. The branches produce many curry leaves, and the buds of the curry tree spark small white flowers. It is essential to let you know that curry powder and curry leaves have nothing to do with each other. Curry powder is a mixture of different spices, including turmeric, ginger powder, pepper, cumin, coriander, and chili powder. It is a trendy blend of spices in the Indian kitchen but has nothing to do with curry leaves. Curry leaves, when used as a spice in the Indian kitchen, have a strong and intense aroma. Some say that the smell resembles roasted nuts and lemon, but I can attest that the fragrance is traditional south Indian cuisine. It is unique, aromatic, and powerful!

In the south of India, curry leaves are tempered and used in many dishes. They are used to make sauces, curries, and appetizers. Curry leaves, mustard seeds, onion, ginger, and garlic are placed in hot oil for tempering. The hot oil allows the leaves and mustard seeds to release their natural oils.

Once tempered, the mixture is more fragrant, and the flavor of the spices become intensified. The blend imparts a nutty and citrus-like flavor. When tempering curry leaves, temper the seeds first and add the curry leaves later in the process. This process will keep the curry leaves from burning, as they are incredibly fragile. The other is not tempering them with a fatty butter. The butter or ghee will mask the natural flavor that the curry leaves give off. I find that using a light olive oil, or vegetable oil, works best. The olive oil will enhance the flavor of the curry leaves.

I like to keep dry curry leaves in my kitchen. I will usually refrigerate them; this allows the curry leaves to last for an exceedingly long time. You can freeze them, but I have found out that freezing them will decrease the leaves' intense flavor.

In my traditional Goan cuisine, I rarely use curry leaves. I favor curry leaves when cooking coconut chutney, tamarind chutney, Madras curry sauce, rice, and dals. You will find that I enjoy experimenting with food on my YouTube channel, adding various Indian spices to traditional American, Mexican, and other cuisines. Try using curry leaves in your kitchen to enhance your dishes. In the comments below, let us know how you use curry leaves in your kitchen.

For some delicious recipe ideas, follow us on Pinterest and subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Topper Chef. Happy cooking!