Curry Leaf Plant (Murraya koenigii)

Curry leaf trees are ubiquitous in South Indian gardens as they are one of the most commonly and avidly used flavoring ingredients in practically all savory recipes. It is a small tree with highly aromatic leaves with a faint citrus and anise flavor. They are prized for their unique flavor as well as medicinal properties and are used in Ayurveda, the ancient art of medicine in India. Amma used to say that curry trees were always planted close to the house to catch the breezes and that it is very healthy to breathe the air wafting through the curry tree branches and leaves.

So, when Mae graciously offered to get me a new curry plant last spring, although I was ecstatic at having a curry plant again, I was worried too. Every curry leaf plant I had acquired before and tried to grow have perished for one reason or the other. Two died when we were on a long vacation. A few years later the beautiful curry plant which Amma had nursed into a mini tree got dehydrated completely in the scorching summer heat while I was away for just 2 weeks. Hoping to be more diligent this time, I set it up in the kitchen near a bright window. Soon I noticed little white cottony things on the branches and under the leaves. Upon inspection, they turned out to be little insects - the dreaded mealybugs - that were beginning to hatch and suck the sap out of the hapless curry plants. After a few weeks of meticulous care (washing with a mild dish washing soap solution), they sprang back to health and all was well. Or so I thought.

This spring the mealybugs came back with a vengeance with another bug in tow. To compound the situation, sooty mold fungus set in as a result of the honeydew the mealy bugs were secreting. In spite of all the care the plant started looking dreadful and started yellowing and dropping leaves as you can see :(.

Is it dying?

Apparently houseplants are easy targets for insects as they are protected from their natural predators. I had two choices at this point: 1. get some predatory insects or 2. get an insecticide spray. As I did not think my family would be too thrilled to live with more bugs in the house, I settled on getting a mild organic insecticide with the hope that it would surely take care of the problem(s). In spite of diligent spraying, the plants kept getting worse; pretty soon all the leaves were gone and the situation looked grim. I placed the little plants outside in a protected area and kept constant watch over them - I sprayed every time the tenacious bugs reappeared and kept praying that they don't come back. And thankfully, I have not seen any sign of the bugs in at least a week.

Finally, just a couple of days ago I saw tiny leaf buds beginning to unfurl! And on the worst hit plant, I saw buds! There is indeed hope while there is life :). I have planted them in large clay pots with abundant soil so that they will not dry out too quickly or be affected by varying temperature conditions. They are situated in a protected but well ventilated area where they get plenty of morning and late evening sunshine. It looks like curry plants need air movement to thrive; the plants seem much healthier outside.

It lives!

If you have ever eaten South Indian food, you probably know how important curry leaves are to this cuisine. There is hardly a dish (exceptions being desserts of course) that could not benefit from a flavor boost from the curry leaves. In fact I would even go so far as to say that the curry leaf is one of the quintessential aromatic ingredients in South Indian cooking. Curry leaves are the major flavoring ingredient in Aviyal, Molagushyam, and Olan; Rasams and Sambar also are always flavored with them.

Curry leaves are used in a similar fashion as bay leaves but their flavors are not similar. And though most people do not eat them, curry leaves are edible unlike the bay leaves. When it comes to curry leaves, as with most aromatic herbs, fresh is always best. But since they are not always readily available and there is no satisfactory substitute, I often purchase more than I can use fresh and dry them.

Also, curry powder is not ground up curry leaves; it is a mixture of various spices such as coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and chilies.

How To Dry Curry Leaves

Wash the leaves well, drain thoroughly, and dry them on thick toweling in a single layer on the counter top or on a table. When completely dry, store in airtight jars in a cool cupboard. They retain most of their aroma as well as color and are wonderful to add to various curries, kozhambus, soups, and rasams when fresh curry leaves are unavailable.