The curry leaves are the shiny, dark green, aromatic leaves of a tree from the citrus fruit family. The curry leaf plants are grown by almost every Seychellois household. Some of us who are overseas even grow them in pots so that they can be moved in warmer spots in winter and returned in the garden in warmer months. The leaves are an essential spice to flavour our local curry dishes.
Curry Leaf Plant in Pot
Fresh curry leaves smell pungently of curry, hence their name. They are often used in the making of curry powder although it is not necessarily a regular ingredient. They have an intriguing warm lemony fragrance with more than a hint of sweet green pepper. They release a deliciously nutty aroma when fried in hot oil or added to a curry. When fresh, the flavour is more pronounced.
They are very often confused with bay leaves when in fact they are smaller in shape, much thinner with a waxy coating with a totally different flavor and aroma.
How to select
Curry leaves are available either fresh or dried. Always aim for the fresh leaves which are now increasingly available in the produce and fresh herbs section of grocery stores as well as in Asian shops . Ensure that the leaves are fresh and devoid of any cuts, spots or blemishes. They will be pale green or dark green in colour depending on the variety. It is better to purchase leaves which are attached to the stem because they have a longer shelf life.
In the absence of fresh leaves you can opt for dried ones but bear in mind that the dried leaves have less aroma and flavour and will not add as much flavour to your dish.
Storage Hints
If you buy more curry leaves than you can use, you can store the fresh leaves in a sealed container or tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, you can air-dry them until brittle, then store in a sealed jar or container. You can also freeze them. Freezing is better than drying, though there will still be some flavour and aroma loss.
Cooking Hints
Curry leaves, which soften when cooked, are used by the Creole cook to flavour curries and, at times, chutneys. While used in curries they are definitely not a curry powder substitute. Since heating in fat helps draw out their mostly oil-soluble flavour compounds, curry leaves are typically fried lightly in oil together with onion, garlic and ginger at the start of the cooking process. This brings out their flavours. I, somehow, feel that prolonged cooking dissipates most of the volatile oils and to compensate for that loss , I always add a few fresh leaves at the very end of the cooking process, just before I turn off the heat. I then place a lid over the cooking pot to contain any volatiles oil that escape.
The leaves are typically left whole for cooking and are tender enough to eat, though they can be removed before serving. If you are using frozen leaves you don’t need to thaw them before you cook with them. Just throw them right into the pot.
Although curry leaves have a lengthy history in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is believed that these green leaves hold antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties, they are not used for medicinal purposes on the islands.
Curry leaves originates from India and the Creole name karipile is derived from the Tamil word Karuvepallai.
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