Its all about Curry Leaves.................

Its all about Curry Leaves...................


1.Introduction.................

Curry leaf tree is a small deciduous tree. Most Indian cuisine cannot do without the subtle flavouring of this highly aromatic leafy spice. Curry leaf grows profusely throughout mainland. It is commonly found in forests as gregarious undergrowth along the foot of the Himalayas, from the Ravi to Sikkim and Assam, besides Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. The trees are also now maintained in homestead gardens, as in Kerala, or on leaf farms as in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa. The western world is fast taking enthusiastically to Indian curry leaf, especially those who prefer their food to be tangy without being too hot.

2. Cultivation...............................

Indigenous to India, galanga (curry leaves plant) shows exuberant growth and fine health along the eastern Himalayas and in southwest India. India exports several varieties of galanga in different forms. However, its volatile oil attracts more international interest because of its high medicinal value.

3. Native..................................

The curry leaf tree is native to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Andaman Islands. Later spread by Indian migrants, they now grow in other areas of the world where Indian immigrants settled. Widely cultivated, the leaves are particularly associated with South Indian cuisines.

4. Reference in Literature..........................

The use of curry leaves as flavouring for vegetables is described in early Tamil literature dating back to the 1st to 4th centuries AD. Its use is also mentioned a few centuries later in Kannada literature. Curry leaves are still closely associated with South India where the word 'curry' originates from the Tamil 'kari' for spiced sauces. An alternative name for curry leaf throughout India is kari-pattha. Kerala and Tamilnadu it is called as kariveppila. Today curry leaves are cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands and in Africa as food flavouring.

Its leaves are highly aromatic and are used as a herb. Their formation somewhat resemble the leaves of the Neem tree; therefore they are also referred to as Kari Bevu, translated to Black Neem, in the Kannada language and Karivepaku in Telugu again translating to the same meaning. In Tamil and Malayalam it is known as Karuveppilai, ilai-meaning leaves.
Other names include Kari Patta (Hindi) and Karapincha (Sinhalese). They are commonly used as seasoning in Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, much like bay leaves and especially in curries with fish or coconut milk. In their fresh form they have a short shelf life and may be stored in a freezer for up to a week; they are also available dried, although the aroma is clearly inferior. Keeping in vegetable trays of refrigerator it will get dried up. By keeping in polythene boxes, curry leaves remain fresh for 2-3 days

5 Use................

Curry leaves are extensively used in South India and Sri Lanka. They are particularly used in South India cooking to provide a flavouring for curries, vegetable, fish and meat dishes, soups (rasams), pickles, butter milk preparations, chutneys, scrambled eggs and curry powder blends.
I do recollect the taste of Thenga chatni fried with curry leaves served in Sri Ramabhavan in Thambuchetty Street and Ratna café in Triplicane in those days. (Not now a days). Also in hot sambar and methu vadai with inchi and pachamulaka (ginger and green chilly) it gives excellent flavour
They are mainly used fresh, but are also used dried or powdered. For some recipes, the leaves are oven-dried or toasted immediately before use. Another common technique is short frying in butter or oil. Since South Indian cuisine is dominantly vegetarian, curry leaves seldom appear in non-vegetarian food; the main applications are thin lentil or vegetable curries and stuffing for samosas.
Because of their soft texture, they are not always removed before serving. Its leaves are highly aromatic and are used as a herb. However while taking food after enjoying the aroma, it is removed from food and it is consumed.

In their fresh form they have a short shelf life and may be stored in a freezer for up to a week; they are also available dried, although the aroma is clearly inferior. Though Kariveppila podi is available its aromatic value is only 30%.

Curry leaves are extensively used in South India and Sri Lanka. They are particularly used in South India cooking to provide a flavouring for curries, vegetable, fish and meat dishes, soups (rasams), pickles, butter milk preparations, chutneys, scrambled eggs and curry powder blends.

6. Botanical details.......................

Botanical name Family name Commercial part
Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel Rutaceae Leaf

7. Sales........................

In India the leaves are sold in markets still attached to the stem. In Europe they are generally sold as dried leaves but some are imported fresh.
In Dubai I have seen in supermarket like spinnies, Looloo etc they are covered and kept in polythene bags with air holes.

7.1 Cost of kariveppila

Kerala the leaves are always charged at all times in the markets and shops. We have to ask for kariveppila separately like any other vegetable, minimum for Rs 2-00 .But normally in Tamilnadu they are given free after purchasing other vegetables. Once I asked curry leaves for price when I came to Chennai, the shop wala looked at me up and down, seeing a first fellow asking curry veppila for money. Normally they make out the cost of Kariveppila Kothamalli from other purchases! Further no retail vala is ready to give kariveppila Kothamalli alone in Tamilnadu.

8. Propagation.........................

Propagation is by stem cutting and planting from grown up plants. Normally the plants go to above 10’. It can be grown in gardens even with out manuring. When the plants are about 5’ we can take bottom leaves. The cultivation of plant keeps away snakes by its smell. In nurseries we can get pot plants which we can transfer to ground after purchasing for house gardening, Though seeds are coming in Curry leaves plant, most propagation is by stem. Sometimes automatic growing of curry plants in our garden may be due to seeds distributed by birds.

9. Restrictions....................

Many people impose restrictions for taking leaves from tree. Normally on Fridays plant is not touched for taking leaves. Evening leaves are not taken. Ladies on periods do not touch the plant. Only restricted people touch the plant. It is generally observed many a time, if we surpass restrictions the plant gets dried up. No body is ready to take risks. The plant normally yields for 5- 10 years and gets dried up.
The leaves have to be used after thoroughly washing for pesticides and other webs underneath.

10 Phrase kariveppila..................

As I told in the beginning, there is a usage“kariveppila ”in Tamil and Malayalam for using a person’ best and throw away at final after extracting from him, for the users best advantage and finally discarding with least regards to his contribution.

This posting has inputs from spiceskerala. com