I vividly remember how we got our first curry leaf plant. My grandmother, during her stay at one of her relative's house, got a sapling of this plant from them. It was an overnight train journey at the peak of summers. Next morning the moment my grandmother reached our house with all her luggage, the first thing I did was to peep inside the poly - bag and welcome the new member of our patch of green. Since then, we have been relishing its flavour and cooking South Indian on holidays became a norm.
Curry leaf or kadi patta ( कड़ी पत्ता ) is an essential component of South Indian cuisine and hence is grown in almost every South Indian home. But is not used much in North India. It can be seen growing in the wild here but it is rarely seen growing in homes. Many people aren't even aware of this plant. So we meet many curious passer-byes who wish to know (either from us or from our neighbours ) the name and use of this little tree whose branches have crossed all the boundaries and now fall on the street. Sometimes people from neighbourhood would pluck away a few leaves whenever they would cook 'kadhi' at home since the only use of this plant for them is to enhance the flavour of this dish. They take its name too literally...;p. But on a serious note, the addition of these leaves truly make any ordinary 'kadhi' stand out.
Distribution : sub tropical to tropical regions. In India commonly found growing in lower Himalayas and peninsular India.
Botanical name : Murraya koenigii
Common name : Hindi - Kadi patta, Meetha neem
Bengali - Barsunga
Telugu - Karepaku
Tamil - Karivepillai
Malayalam - Kareapela
English - Curry Leaf
Family : Rutaceae ( Citrus Family )
Morphology : shrub to a small tree, grows upto 6 metres, brownish bark with longitudinal striations.
Leaves are unipinnate with 11-25 leaflets in one leaf and swollen leaf base. Inflorescence is a cyme. Flowers are highly fragrant and are borne in clusters. Calyx is green, persistent and five lobed. Corolla is creamy white and polypetallous. Petals are lanceolate and five in number. Androecium is polyandrous,the number of stamens is ten, arranged in two circles of five each. Gynoecium is seated on a disc ( a characteristic feature of Rutaceae ). Stigma is sticky.
Fruit is a berry that turns shiny purplish- black on ripening. It encloses one green coloured seed.
Leaflets, petals and the skin of its fruit are dotted with oil glands and visible to the naked eye. Every part of the plant is aromatic.
Fowering season begins by late March. It is that time of the year when bees perpetually hover around it during day and standing under the tree fills your ears with their constant buzzing.
Butterflies like Common Jay, Common Mormon and Lime butterfly too can be seen during this time.
Propagation : easily by seeds. The seeds however, should be fresh. Dried seeds do not germinate. During monsoons, a number of seedlings can be seen growing beneath the tree from the fruits that have fallen due to rains. It can be easily grown in a pot and maintained as a shrub.
Uses : aromatic leaves are used to flavour dishes particularly in South Indian cuisine. Leaves are usually used fresh though they can also be used in their dried state. Dried leaves are however less aromatic than fresh ones.
Apart from adding a distinct flavour to dishes, curry leaves possess many health benefits too. Curry leaves are a storehouse of vitamin A,C and calcium.The leaves are a source of iron and folic acid that help in increasing haemoglobin level in our blood. They possess blood sugar lowering properties hence, they can be useful for people with diabetes. Curry leaves are used to cure dysentery, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. The leaves also possess the property to lower bad cholesterol level. They are a natural remedy for hair problems like hair-fall and greying of hair.
Apart from adding a distinct flavour to dishes, curry leaves possess many health benefits too. Curry leaves are a storehouse of vitamin A,C and calcium.The leaves are a source of iron and folic acid that help in increasing haemoglobin level in our blood. They possess blood sugar lowering properties hence, they can be useful for people with diabetes. Curry leaves are used to cure dysentery, indigestion, nausea and vomiting. The leaves also possess the property to lower bad cholesterol level. They are a natural remedy for hair problems like hair-fall and greying of hair.
The bark and roots are used to cure skin eruptions and bites of poisonous animals.
