Curry Leaf Tree
Genus: Murraya
Botanical name: Murraya koenigii (Linn)
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Sanskrit: Surabhinimba, Kaidarya, Kalasaka, Krishnanimba
English: Curry leaf tree
Hindi: Kariaipak
Malayalam: Kariveppu
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Curry leaf tree is a small tree, growing 4–6 m (13-20 feet) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm diameter. The leaves are pinnate, with 11-21 leaflets, each leaflet 2–4 cm long and 1–2 cm broad. They are highly aromatic. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant. The small black shiny berries are edible, but their seeds are poisonous.
The leaves are highly valued as seasoning in southern and west-coast Indian cooking, and Sri Lankan cooking, especially in curries, usually fried along with the chopped onion in the first stage of the preparation. They are also used to make thoran, vada, rasam and kadhi. In their fresh form, they have a short shelf life, and they don’t keep well in the refrigerator. They are also available dried, though the aroma is largely inferior.
Curry leaves helps to eliminate the poisonous substances in the food that we consume. Curry leaves is used as a medicine to cure the pain and swelling due to the bite of a viper.