Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
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(Text)ExOTIC HERBS- 99 –
Water: Regularly, when soil feels dry two inches deep,
about once a week; do not overwater. Unless in very
hot climates, curry leaf plants often go dormant during
winter (and lose their leaves); if this happens, only water
when the soil dries out completely and do not fertilize.
Harvest: Start harvesting when a young plant reaches 1
foot tall and bears several leafy branches. Snip or pluck
off whole stalks, or petioles, rather than individual leaves
to keep your plant thriving and ensure optimal flavor.
Care: Trim regularly to remove dead leaves and pro-
mote new growth. Place mulch around the base of the
plant to retain moisture in hot weather. Add fertilizer
during the warm season. If keeping outdoors in sum-
mer, protect from frosts or winds and move indoors
when the weather cools.
Keep It Fresh
Store curry leaves (still on their stems) in
a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper
for one to two weeks. For future use,
place in a zip-tight plastic bag and store
in the freezer. Leaves freeze well for up
to four weeks and don’t need to defrost
before use in cooking. Curry leaves lose
their flavor when dried.In the Kitchen
Dishes: Curries, stews, soups, rice, len-
tils, dals
Prep: Use whole sprigs to flavor long-
cooked dishes, or whole or chopped
leaves in any dish.
Serve: Whole leaves are often fried
quickly in oil or ghee along with Indian
spices like asafetida, cumin, or mustard
seed, and then added to curries or stews
either at the start of cooking or at the
very end. Leaves can also be chopped
and cooked with potatoes or vegetables, or crushed with hot chili peppers, tamarind,
and coconut to make chutney or relish.SUBSTITUTIONS
- Asafetida
- Basil
- Makrut lime leaves
*Note: There’s no exact
flavor match for curry
leaves, so consider
leaving it out of your
recipe or altering the
flavor with one of these
substitutions.
PAIRINGS
Vegetables: cauliflower,
coconut and coconut milk, green
beans, onions, peas, potatoes,
pumpkin, shallots, tomatoes
Proteins: beans, beef, cashews,
chicken, fish and seafood, lamb,
lentils, peanuts
Seasonings: cardamom,
cayenne, chili peppers, cilantro,
cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds,
cumin, fennel seeds, fenugreek,
galangal, garam masala, garlic,
ginger, lemongrass, lemon juice,
lime juice, mint, mustard, paprika,
pepper, tamarind, turmericJob:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:98
Job:07-61264 Title:RacePoint - Herb and Spice Companion
Dtp:VIVIAN Page:9961264 - Herb and Spice Companion_001-145.indd 99 3/7/15 5:12 pm