Botanical Name: Murraya koenigii (L.)
Curry Plant is widely used for its culinary and medicinal properties. It is considered an important ingredient in South Indian and Sri lankan cuisine. It is Fresh and pleasant and enhances the taste of the dish in which they are used.
Origin
The curry leaf is native to India and is found nearly everywhere in the Indian subcontinent. It is also found in Srilanka and many parts of south East Asia including Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, etc.
Cultivation
The curry leaf plant is planted just before the arrival of the monsoon in May. It is cultivated using propagation method. The plants mature after fifteen months after which the leaves are harvested. Fully grown curry tree can yield nearly 100 k.g of leaves each year.
Forms of Curry Plant/Leaf
Trade in Curry Leaf/Plant
India is the largest producer and consumer of curry leaf. Burma, Malaysia, South Africa are also the producing curry leaf. The Southern state of Tamil Nadu is one of the major curry leaf producing area. The trade in the spice is limited to few Asian countries. There are no specific trade figures of exports from India.
Use of Curry Leaf/Plant
Food
The plant is widely used in South Indian states for flavoring various dishes. It is also used for its aroma in Srilanka. The leaves can be taken raw or sauted. The leaves are used in fresh or dried form for flavouring curries, vegetable, fish and meat dishes, soups pickles, butter milk preparations, chutneys
.