Herb. No. 145 · Rutaceae
South Asian rue-family tree. A pot shrub wherever kitchens want a tadka.
Native · South Asia
Native Also grown
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Curry leaf
Murraya koenigii
The leaf that makes a South Indian tadka smell like itself — a citrus-family tree, not a jar of powder.
Curry leaf is a small South Asian rue-family tree. The leaf is fried in oil at the start of a dish. Traditional use is as a digestive aromatic and a daily kitchen green. Culinary leaf is the path. Curry powder does not contain this leaf, which is why the names keep missing each other.
Flavor
Citrus, resin, toasted peanut, a little rue. Heat in oil wakes it; a long boil dulls it.
Parts used
Leaf
Helpful
- A pot tree that earns its keep
- The authentic South Indian note
Cautions
- Tender below frost
- Dried leaf is a ghost of the fresh