Curry Leaves, called Karuvepilai which literally means Black Neem Leaf, are aromatic leaves that are extensively used in Asian Cooking especially in the South Indian Cuisine.
I found a wonderful article about curry leaves, in buzzle.com, written by Kanika Goswami. She says, Apart from cooking, the curry leaf has a number of medicinal uses also. It is an essential ingredient of almost all traditional medicine systems of peninsular India, sometimes with amazingly good results. Unani, Ayurveda and other systems use it to cure ailments such as piles, to allay heat of the body and are useful in leucoderma and blood disorders, and this has been proven by experts of western medicine also. In India, the curry leaf is used to prevent conditions such as nausea and stomach upsets. It is also used in treating skin irritations and poisonous bites. Its oils are invaluable as repellants and to cure skin disorders common to the tropics. More...
Also, Here's a post about the Curry leaves by Prabudesai in Benifits of Indian food.
The Jihva for Ingredients for the Month of May is 'GREENS' and is hosted by the event creator Mahanandhi. Thankyou Indira for hosting this event. I chose Curry Leaf and my contribution for the JFI event for Greens is 'Curry Leaves Kudhi Menusu'. We call it Karuvepilla Kudhi Menusu at home. Its a wonderful recipe that is very good for digestion, particularly prepared the day after a heavy Dinner to cleanse the digestive tract. Here's the recipe.
Ingredients:
Curry Leaves - 2 to 3 Cups
Curry Leaves - 2 to 3 Cups
Ginger - 1 inch
Peppercorns - 8 to 10
Salt to taste
Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon
(Sesame) Gingily Oil - 1 or 2 teaspoons
Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asfoetida powder
Tamarind - very little
Method:
Wash Curry Leaves and Drain Water. Toss in a heated Pan for a couple of minutes. When its almost room temperature, grind the leaves with Ginger, Tamarind and Peppercorns using water little by little. Do not use more water.
Heat Oil in a Kadai and tamper the Mustard Seeds. Add the Asafoetida powder and then add the ground paste. Add Salt and Fry until all the moisture is absorbed.
Serve a teaspoon of this with a cup of hot steaming rice and a spoon of ghee. Mix well and enjoy the delight.
