SC - curry leaves?

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/13/99 5:55:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time, nannar at isholf.is 
writes:

<< Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) which we are discussing here and the herb
 >known as 'curry' are 2 different plants entirely. They are not
 interchangeable
 >in cookery. Sure about that? >>

Yes, "From a plant native to southern Asia, this fragrant herb looks like a 
small, shiny lemon leaf and has a pungent curry fragrance. Quote Epicurious 
Food site." 

This plant is not the same thing as the plant described by someone else on 
the list as a curry plant which had needle-like leaves. 

<<Every book and source I´ve consulted only mentions one
 herb, which is curry leaves (Murraya or Chalcas koenigii). However, my
 Indian ingredients book says it can be either a shrub (or even a windowsill
 plant) or a 6 meter high tree, but it is still the same plant. >>

There are two different plants that are referred to as 'curry plants'. One is 
Murraya koenegii which is the curry leaf plant that is used in Indian cooking 
and as a cooking herb. This is a small tropical tree which can grow up to 6 
feet in height in its natural habitat. It is not hardy in northern gardening 
zones.
 
The other so-called 'curry plant' is Helichrysum angustifolium which smells 
like the curry leaf but is not used in cooking. It has leaves similar to pine 
needles or, more closely thyme leaves. This is most often the plant that 
people grow in their herb gardens. 


<<Curry powder is something entirely different,...>>

Correct. Each Indian recipe has it's own particular blend of spices. 
Somewhere along the way, an enterprising businessman decided to standardize 
this blend and market it as 'curry powder.' Most pre-made curry powders are 
unbalanced and produce foul tasting food although I do have a commercially 
produced Jamaican curry powder that is a very nice blend which I use in 
specific personal non-Indian dishes for a touch of the exotic occasionally.

 Anyway, the curry leaf that is similar to lemon leaves in appearance is the 
culinary herb. That plant which has the needle-like leaves is not the 
culinary herb.

<< Nanna
  >>

Yours in Service to the Dream,
Ras
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