All About Curry Leaves | Know Your Spice Kadi patta (Murraya koenigii)

Curry leaves (kari patta) are fresh herbs that comes from the curry tree (Murraya koenigii), while a curry powder is a spice mix of seeds, spices, and herbs that have a different flavour altogether.

The love of curry, a dish adopted and adapted after the colonization of India, is a relic of when the sun never set on the British Empire.

The curry powder represents the same British aspirations and tastes that began long ago and linger even today. Currying things, with a curry powder, became synonymous with British cookery.

Through the 1800s, curry was a common dish, and curry powder a familiar flavour.

The expense of shipping spices to the colonies, and to Britain, was probably the primary reason why blended, pre-made curry powder became common.

However, the point to be noted is that in India, there is no such thing as a curry powder or its relation with curry leaves.

The history of curry leaves are seen in early 1^st to 4^th century AD. In Tamil and Kannada literature it was updated as word ‘kari’ with its uses.

The word now popularly used for the Murraya koenigii is curry leaf which is originated from Tamil word Kari which means as ‘spiced sauce’.

The Tamil name for curry leaves literally translates to “leaf used to make curry.”

In the early literatures of Tamil and Kannada the use of Murraya koenigii is described as the flavouring agent for the vegetables.

The usage of curry leaves in Indian and Sri Lankan cooking stretches all the way back into the region’s ancient history.

British merchants invented curry powder in the late 18th century. The blend of spices was intended to mimic the taste of authentic Indian curries.

Some curry powder blends contain dried curry leaves. It is unlikely that the leaves have much influence on the flavour of curry powder since they lose their potency soon after being dried.

In A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food, K T Achaya has described curry leaves as being used as seasoning in south India centuries ago.

He writes that “early Tamil literature notes the serving of a dish of the tender fruit of pomegranate cooked with butter and fragrant curry leaves”.

The 16th century Kannada literature records “an unfried brinjal bhaji, which contained coconut shreds, curry leaves and cardamoms, mixed well and flavoured with citrus juice and a little camphor.”

Curry leaves are used for both medicinal and culinary applications.

• The leaves are commonly added to dishes to bring about a robust, rich flavour and popularly used in meat dishes, curries, and other traditional Indian recipes.
• Curry leaves are used in many holistic treatments like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and traditional Chinese treatments for their medicinal properties in treating diabetes, diarrhea, gastrointestinal disorders etc.
• The branches of curry leaves play a significant role in good oral hygiene. The thin twigs or branches are used as a datun.
• The leaves when eaten raw or consumed as juice, serves as a detox drink to cleanse body from within, burn fat, reduce bad cholesterol and enhance digestion.

Curry leaves have a characteristic bitter and pungent flavour that can be compared to citrus, anise, or lemongrass.

The taste is also said to be somewhere between basil and kaffir lime some. It resembles lemongrass and lemon rind, and is rather citrusy.

Nevertheless, when cooked they impart a sharp bite and a nutty aroma.

You can have around 12–15 curry leaves on an empty stomach daily to benefit from their nutrients.

You might find them a bit bitter to chew on raw, so pound them into a chutney or paste, by adding green chillies, salt, lemon juice, and a bit of asafoetida with a little water.

In Ayurveda, curry leaves are considered to have anti-diabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and hepatoprotective.

Rasa (Taste): Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter), Madhura (Sweet)
Guna (Qualities): Laghu (Light to Digest), Snigdha (Oily, Unctuous)
Veerya (Potency): Sheeta (Cold)
Vipaka (Taste conversion after digestion): Katu (Pungent)
Karma (Actions): Kaphapittahara. It balances Pitta, and Kapha.

• Sauté curry leaves in ghee at high heat and then add the ghee and softened curry leaves to any dish of your liking.
• Infuse broths with curry leaves for a fresh flavour.
• Combine fresh or dried curry leaves with other spices, such as red chili, turmeric, and cumin seeds, to make a flavorful seasoning blend.
• Top any savory dish with diced or crumbled dried curry leaves for a pop of flavour.
• Cook curry leaves in hot oil and then use the infused oil as a dip or topping for crusty bread.
• Add curry leaves to chutneys and sauces or make a curry leaves churna.
• Toss chopped curry leaves into savoury baked food recipes like breads and crackers.
• Curry leaves pair well with lentils, yoghurt, coconut milk, aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger, mustard seeds, chilli peppers, eggplant, pork, and fish.
• Curry leaves are edible after they are cooked and do not need to be removed before eating.
• Kadi Patta add a bright flavour to stews, curries, soups, rice dishes, and dals.

The leaves are usually stripped from the stem, fried in hot oil with other spices, and either used as a base for making a dish or poured over an already-made dish for flavour.

The fresh leaves are an indispensable part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicines. Its fruit is edible, but the seeds are poisonous and must be removed prior to use.

• Dried Curry Leaves – Dried curry leaves stay good for 2-3 months. Air dry them for 2-3 days on the counter or in the refrigerator. Once they are dried, they will look wilted and feel crispy.
• Fresh curry leaves –Fresh curry leaves will keep in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days. They do freeze well and will keep in a ziplock bag for 3-4 months.

• Fresh Curry Leaves – Wash the leaves and then dry them. Spread on a kitchen towel in a single layer and gently pat them dry before storage. Wrap the leaves in the paper towel and then put in an airtight container and refrigerate. You can also store these in a freezer.
• Dried curry leaves or kadi patta – You can store them as is, or crumble them into a coarse or fine powder. Either way store them in an airtight container to preserve the flavour.

You’ll find curry leaves in Indian grocery stores, and even some Asian food stores.

If you can’t find curry leaves in a nearby store, you can buy them on Amazon: India | USA

Health Benefits of Curry Leaves or Kadi Patta

Health benefits of curry leaves or kadi patta include providing overall immunity to the human body.

1. Health benefits of curry leaves for diabetes – Health benefits of Kadi Patta in Type 2 Diabetes. Curry leaves help your blood sugar levels by controlling the insulin activity of the body. It reduces blood sugar levels. Also, the type and amount of fibre contained within the leaves play a significant role in lowering blood sugar levels.
2. Health benefits of kari patta for Cholesterol Control – Research shows that curry leaves have properties that can help in lowering one’s blood cholesterol levels. Packed with antioxidants, curry leaves prevent the oxidation of cholesterol that forms LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
3. Health benefits of curry leaves as a powerful antioxidant – Research has shown that curry leaves contain many compounds, including linalool, alpha-terpinene, myrcene, mahanimbine, caryophyllene, murrayanol, and alpha-pinene. Many of these compounds function as antioxidants in your body. Antioxidants play an essential role in keeping your body healthy and free from disease.
4. Health benefits of kari patta for your eyesight – Traditionally, curry leaves are believed to have a beneficial effect on eyesight. They prevent the early onset of cataract. This primarily because curry leaves are rich in Vitamin A.
5. Health benefits of curry leaves for weight loss – Health benefits of curry leaves work in two ways in making you look slender. Firstly, these leaves help the body get rid of toxins and secondly, help in burning the stubborn body fat.
6. Health benefits of kadi patta for liver health – Curry leaves contain kaempferol, a potent antioxidant, and can protect the liver from oxidative stress and harmful toxins.
7. Health benefits of curry leaves for your digestive problems – People suffering from health issues like dysentery, constipation and diarrhoea, should add this wonder herb to their diets. This can improve the condition. Addition of curry leaves can also cure stomach ailments and improve metabolism.
8. Health benefits of kadi patta as an Immunity booster – One of the significant health benefits of Kadi Patta is that it boosts your immunity. Curry leaves have a high concentration of proteins which are considered to be the building blocks of the body. It is pivotal for the proper growth and development of the body and strengthens our immune system.
9. Health benefits of curry leaves for relieving stress – Studies show that inhaling linalool (often found in flowers and spice plants) in curry leaves reduces anxiety, stress and helps with depression. The essential oil of curry leaves is generally used to relieve the symptoms of stress. Just apply 2 to 3 drops of the oil on your pillow before you sleep. The scent of Kadi Patta calms your mind and body.
10. Health benefits of kari patta for treating wounds and fights skin infections – Kadi patta contains very strong antioxidant properties in addition to powerful anti-bacterial, antifungal and antiprotozoal properties. This makes it a great home remedy to deal with common skin infections like acne and fungal infections of the nail that are often difficult to treat.

Curry leaves are generally safe to consume with relatively no possible side effects.

But over excessive consumption of curry leaves may lead to some side effects like acidity, which gives a burning sensation, an upset stomach, and nausea.

All About Curry Leaves | Kari Patta

Curry leaves or Kadi patta are the fresh leaves of the curry tree (Murraya koenigii). It is a tropical to subtropical tree in the family Rutaceae (the rue family) and is native to Asia.

The plant is also sometimes called sweet neem, though M. koenigii is in a different family to neem, Azadirachta indica, which is in the related family Meliaceae.

The fresh curry leaves or kadi patta are an indispensable part of Indian cuisine and Indian traditional medicines.

They are most widely used in southern and west coast Indian cooking, usually fried along with vegetable oil, mustard seeds and chopped onions in the first stage of the preparation.

They are also used to make thoran, vada, rasam and kadhi. The leaves of M. koenigii are also used as a herb in Ayurvedic & Siddha medicine in which they are believed to possess anti-disease properties.

This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition/s.

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