Curry Leaves Substitute

Curry leaves, which is a condiment, is the part and parcel of Indian cooking. If you travel towards the southern part of India, you will find curry leaves used in every dish of the south Indian cuisine. You will find these leaves floating on top of curries, gravies and vegetables. Curry leaves resemble bay leaves, which are sometimes considered to be curry leaves substitute, but are much smaller in size. They are almond shaped and deep green in color, with a pungent flavor and are attached to a long stem. Curry leaves, whose botanic name is Murraya koenigii, belongs to the Rutaceae family. This plant grew in the wild, till it was discovered and used for culinary purposes. Many people ask if there is an appropriate substitute which can replace the condiment.

Substitute for Curry Leaves

Though there is no real substitute, many people are under the wrong impression that curry powder is a substitute for curry leaves. But these two are completely different. Curry powder, which is a mixture of various types of herbs and spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon etc., does not have even a trace of curry leaves. Green curry leaves can be crushed before adding to the dish as this will give an entirely different taste to the food. They are also used for garnish to make the food look more appealing. The only substitute for fresh leaves is the dried version, which can be used as whole or even in powdered form. This can be used in various meat and fish recipes. When unable to find curry leaves, many people try to substitute it with basil, bay leaf, etc. as a seasoning. These herbs also give a delicious flavor to the food, but cannot exactly replace the flavor of curry leaves. For dried substitute, using dried basil leaves or kaffir lime leaves can be considered. The aroma and flavor of the food after using these substitutes can be quite different but are delectable to the tongue. Basil leaves (dried or fresh), bay leaves and kaffir lime leaves are used in most of the easy Indian food recipes. But curry leaves are unique and irreplaceable. Though curry leaves can be substituted, there is no condiment that can replace its taste.

Curry Leaves Facts

This shrub can also be grown in herbal gardens in the houses. Fresh as well as dry curry leaves can be used for cooking and are an integral part of Indian food. Nowadays, curry leaves are being used across all Indian states and also in other cuisines like Malay and Indonesian. For a longer shelf life, fresh leaves are scorched and dried and stored in the form of powder or as whole.

There are also many benefits of using curry leaves in the food. Not only does this leaf adds a delicious taste to the food, it also strengthens the immune system and nourishes the hair and scalp. Added to the oil in which the dish is going to be cooked, these leaves give out a flavor that increases the taste of the food. The leaves are sizzled in the hot oil together with mustard and cumin seeds to give an authentic flavor to the food. Though mostly used in vegetarian recipes, dried leaves are also used as seasoning for non vegetarian dishes like fish curries.

This was all about curry leaves substitute. These substitutes add taste to the food but nothing can beat the original and authentic flavor of fresh curry leaves.