Description
Dried Curry Leaves, Ground to a Powder
Synonymous with Indian cuisine, curry leaves make for a welcomed complement to many traditional South Asian dishes.
For those in need of a slightly less robust flavor infusion, dried curry leaves are a fantastic way to go.
Dried vs. Fresh Curry Leaves
Curry leaves can be consumed in either a 100% fresh or dried form. Fresh leaves have a much stronger aroma and more noticeable flavor, which is great for foods that are more subtle tasting on their own—some foods need that extra kick.
On the flip side, dried curry leaves are more muted, which is ideal when you’re looking to accent a dish rather than overpower it. Dried curry leaves are also much easier to preserve for future dishes.
Here are the best dishes that go with dried curry leaves:
- Tomato Rasam: A spiced broth made with the water from cooking lentils. Tomato rasam is commonly used as a midday snack and can work with either fresh or dried leaves. When using dried curry leaves, you won’t need to cook in oil first. You can stir the leaves in afterward.
- Coconut Chutney: Add a touch of coriander and mint, and you’ve got a delicious balance of sweetness and tartness. The coconut provides the former while the curry leaves give the latter.
- Dal (Legumes): Adding dried curry leaves to your dals (an Indian term for legumes) makes rice and soups taste that much better.
Where Do Dried Curry Leaves Originate?
Curry leaves have been used in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Andaman Islands for thousands of years, and they remain a staple of the region’s spice scene.
They’ve been referenced in early Tamil literature going back to the 1st century AD. In South India, the word “curry” originates from the Tamil term “kari,” meaning spiced sauces.
Can You Grow Curry Leaves?
Believe it or not, you can plant curry tree plants in your own backyard. If you reside in a warm, subtropical, and humid environment, it’ll be a relatively straightforward process. And since these plants grow to less than 20 feet in height, you won’t have to worry about space issues.
Be sure to plant it in the sunniest spot of your garden and water regularly over the first couple months, then pinch off its white flowers within the first two years to promote healthy nurturing.
Where Does Burma Spice Get Theirs?
Our curry leaves are grown on a family farm 40 miles to the east of our spice shop. We get our curry leaves the same day they are harvested. We dry them ourselves at low humidity and no heat. They are then ground down to a powder you won’t find anywhere else.
