Zesty , aromatic, crunchy, citrusy, loaded with unlimited nutrients, ‘Curry Leaves’ are no less than a soldier for your wellbeing. In Sanskrit, they have an eloquent name, ‘Surabhi Nimbu’ aptly denoting their distinctive aroma.Belonging to the ‘Citrus Rutaceae’ family, curry leaves lend themselves beautifully to dishes across cuisines, more so in the repertoire of South Indian kitchens. Toasted in oil, grounded, or crushed to season or garnish soups, sambhars, curries, salads; chefs love to play around with these leaves.
Take a sip of Sambhar soup at Prankster hip eatery and you will realise how crucial this humble leaf is for the right texture and flavour. As creator of the dish, Chef Harangad explains, “My Sambhar cappuccino is the show stopper of my menu and I cannot serve it without curry patta tempering. I toast the leaves slightly to get the crunchiness and then they do their job in enticing the palate with the first sip.”
Curry leaves happen to be a top favourite culinary herb for Chef Saurabh Udinia of Farzi Café and Masala Library. “The versatility of the leaves with their sweet, bitter and aromatic flavours, give me scope to curate several dishes using them in different forms,” he tells. “At Masala Library we offer Curry Leaf Pepper Prawns where we use curry leaves with garlic and black pepper to flavour the prawns. We also have a very popular drink ‘The Burnt Curry Leaf Martini’, a vodka based cocktail with a strong and mildly spicy flavour of curry leaf in it.”
Take a bite of Punjabi Kadi at Café Delhi Heights and you will realise how Chef Ashish Singh uses curry leaves for tempering along with mustard seeds and red chilli. “It enhances the flavour like no other ingredient would do,” he says sharing his immense love for them.
Infusing flavours in a dish, is not all what the curry leaves (Murraya Koenigii) do. Their role for the human body is far more than the mere taste. They are good for liver due to being loaded with antioxidants and vitamins A and C. They help in getting rid of indigestion and nausea – have the juice of the curry leaves with drops of squeezed lemon and little sugar, and you have your remedy.
According to recent studies, curry patta protects the body from the negative impacts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Also, for diabetics, it is helpful in reducing the glucose level in the blood.Next time you pluck the leaves from a little plant you have in a pot on your terrace, just remember you are touching a life-sustaining plant which offers, from roots to leaves to bark, a myriad of health benefits.
(The author is a noted food writer and author)