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Author Topic: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?  (read 4,930 times)

AI Summary
Curry leaves, native to South India and Sri Lanka, are essential in traditional Indian cooking but are not commonly used in British Indian Restaurant (BIR) styles, which originated from Bangladesh. While they are included in many curry powders, their impact on flavor may be minimal, as noted by some users who have experimented with them in cooking. Additionally, curry leaves are popular in cuisines from Fiji and Mauritius, where they are used in various dishes for added flavor.

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Offline davidr

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What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« on: February 25, 2008, 12:50 AM »
Hi everyone I just joined and I'm finding the forum really useful, my thanks to you all.

I've seen recipes outside of this forum that use curry leaves and I'm wondering what they are and why none of the recipes on this site seem to use them?

Thanks everyone!
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Offline Cory Ander

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Re: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2008, 05:18 AM »
Hi davidr and welcome to cr0!  8)

Check out the "Curry Leaves" link in our "Glossary of Spices" section here:   https://curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/board,46.0.html
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Offline adriandavidb

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Re: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2008, 12:03 PM »
I'm aware that curry leaves are used extensively in traditional indian cooking, but I'd be interested to know if they're used much in BIR cooking, I suspect not, but maybe some of you know differently?
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Offline Secret Santa

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Re: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2008, 02:37 PM »
They're a component of almost all curry powders but apart from that I doubt they are used in many (if any) dishes. I fried some fresh curry leaves, as you would in traditional curry making, in a recent madras that I made. They didn't have any effect on the final taste and even when I chewed directly on one I didn't think it added much. Certainly not the "secret" ingredient anyway, which was sort of what I was hoping for.
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Offline SnS

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Re: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2008, 03:02 PM »
Curry leaves (Kari plant) is native to South India and Sri Lanka and is essential to cooking styles in the South and South West of India.

As most BIR cooking styles originated from Bangladesh (1000 miles North of Sri Lanka), my guess is that curry leaf was/is not an essential ingredient.

As SS pointed out, most curry powders already include some curry leaf powder.

I also read somewhere that in Indian cooking, 1 fresh curry leaf = 6 dried curry leaves.

As fresh curry leaves are quite difficult to obtain here in UK, I guess not many BIR's would use them anyway.

SnS  ;D


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Offline Assam_ti

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Re: What are Curry Leaves and Where are they Used?
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2008, 09:34 AM »
Curry leaves are very popular in Fiji and Mauritius cooking as well. In one of
the Fiji curries I make I grind the leaves and add to the masala and in another
dish I add fresh curry leaves just to add a bit of pizazz.
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