Curry Leaves

Curry leaves have a musky, nutty flavour with lemon notes. The aroma is reminiscent of curry — often described as similar to that of a mix of basil, citrus, and cumin. Annually the leaves are shed from the Murraya Koenigi tree and taken to be dried. The trees grow in South Asia where curry leaves provide an important flavour in their regional cooking.

Traditionally, handfuls of curry leaves are used to flavour and infuse curries in Sri Lanka and South India. Like bay leaves in French cooking, curry leaves are an adored addition to dals, meat curries, vegetable dishes, pickles and sambar (there’s no need to remove the leaves). Try our Gourmet Sri Lankan Curry Sauce, where these leaves are a crucial ingredient. Use our search bar to find recipes using curry leaves. They’re typically used fresh but can also be dried or frozen for later use.

Curry leaves are a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as minerals such as calcium and iron. In South East Asia, they’re even used in beauty treatments, believed to have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that can help improve the health of the skin and hair.

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