The Science of Spice

176 Spice Profiles

Curry leaf has a special place in the

cuisines of southern India, Sri Lanka,

and Malaysia. When the Dravidians

of northwest India moved south in

around 1000 bce, they brought with

them rice, mustard seeds, and pulses

to plant in their new home, and then

started combining them with the

indigenous curry leaves. The use of

curry leaf as flavouring for vegetables

is documented in early Tamil

literature from the 1st century ce.

The botanical name, Murraya koenigii,

refers to two 18th-century botanists,

Johann Andreas Murray and Johann

Gerhard König, rather than in tribute

to the “kingly” aromatic qualities of

the plant. It is grown prolifically in

southern India as an ornamental and

kitchen garden plant.

Region of cultivation

Native to the foothills of the Himalayas,

but spread over millennia to naturalize across

India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

It is cultivated mainly in southern India, but

also across southeast Asia, in northern Australia,

and the Middle East.

The plant

Curry leaves come from a

small, deciduous tropical

tree in the citrus family.

Dried

Although some recipes say dried leaves

can substitute for fresh if double the

quantity is added, they really have very

little flavour and are best avoided.

Fresh

Leaves are best

bought fresh, on

the stem. Store

in a sealed bag

for a week in

the fridge, or

near indefinitely

in the freezer.

Leaves are

divided into

pairs of leaflets

Black berries

are borne at the

ends of branches

BOTANICAL NAME

Murraya koenigii

ALSO KNOWN AS

Karapincha, meetha neem, kari patta. Not to

be confused with the inedible “curry plant”.

MAJOR FLAVOUR COMPOUND

1-phenylethanethiol.

PARTS USED

Leaves (more accurately leaflets).

METHOD OF CULTIVATION

The leaves are harvested in early summer,

before flowering, from trees that are at

least three years old.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATION

Fresh leaves are vacuum-packed on their

stems and chilled or frozen, or washed and

air-dried for 4–5 days.

NON-CULINARY USES

In cosmetics and in traditional medicine

as a digestive aid.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

INDIA

AUSTRALIA

CURRY LEAF

Meaty | Warm | Floral

Spice story

Leaflets are

dark green, shiny,

and strongly

aromatic

Leaves

should be

bright green

without dark

blotches

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