I have tried eating raw curry leaves every morning. It doesn’t taste
bitter, so anyone can try chewing the leaves. The juice in the leaf is
able to stimulate digestive enzymes to break down food easily. This is
what all of us need. To remove unwanted substance from our body!
Here are some ways to consume curry leaves:
Cooking:
Remove the leaves from the stem to use them (discard the stems).
Use the curry leaves in all you curries and when you stir frying vegetables. Just garnish the curry with the leaves.
Tips: when I stir fry vegetables, I cut the curry leaves
into small pieces and fry it together with vegetable. And my family
members don’t notice it. LoL! This help them to consume the curry leaves
specially children.
Are you frying chicken? Add in curry leaves when marinating. Fry the leaves. It taste good. Trust me! :D
Making chutney:
Mix the leaves with coriander leaves, pudina/mint leaves, parsley and
cheese. Blend it all. Spread on bread. Place the chicken slices. Make
sandwich.
When making Pesto Sauce or green sauce for spaghetti, chuck the curry leaves when making the sauce.
Juicing:
When you juicing fruit or making any juice, add in around 7-10 leaves
and blend it together. I do it when I make milk shakes and fruit juice.
In treating eye disorders:
Juice of fresh curry leaves suffused in the eyes which will make your
eyes look bright. It also prevents the early development of cataract.
Digestive Disorders -take two teaspoons curry
leave of juice mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice every morning. It
treats morning sickness, nausea due to indigestion.
-Ground curry leaves to a fine paste and mixed with buttermilk, drink
on an empty stomach with beneficial results of stomach upsets.
Diabetics eat ten fresh fully grown curry
leaves every morning for three months will help to prevent diabetes due
to heredity factors and obesity.
Reducing weight:
Chew a few leaves every day to lose weight.
Hair growth
Add a few curry leaves to your hair oil and boil it for a few
minutes. Applying this hair tonic will keep your hair healthy. I use
organic coconut oil for my hair. It works good.
Tips: If you don’t like your hair to be oily, massage your hair with the oil (leave it 10-15 minute) before shampooing.
Those you can’t find or grow curry leaves. There is powdered curry
leaves sold everywhere. Try using the organic powdered curry leaves.
Good luck in trying. Always remember, you must love your body and taking care of it is essential.
http://zesterdaily.com/cooking/curry-leaves-flair-in-indian-cooking/
A fistful of fresh curry leaves, and a few mustard seeds sizzling and
spluttering in a couple of spoons of hot coconut oil make an amazing
final flourish to most South Indian savory dishes. “A particularly
ingenious South Asian technique for getting flavor to come forward,”
write Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid in their book Mangoes & Curry Leaves.” Spend some time in this part of the world, and you too will come back addicted to this delicious combination.
Health benefits along with great flavor
Besides imparting flavor to dishes, curry leaves have wonderful
health benefits. They are low in calories, contain essential oils that
are soluble in water and are rich in fiber, folic acid, beta carotene,
calcium, phosphorus and iron. Curry leaves, as well as the bark and
roots of the plant, are used in Indian ayurvedic medicine in the
treatment of diabetes and for keeping the digestive system healthy. This
herb is also used in the treatment of skin irritations.
Curry leaf is a natural crossover ingredient. Add a few leaves to
whatever you are cooking, and even ordinary dishes become resplendent
with minimum effort. They pair well with meat, seafood and vegetables
alike.
http://zesterdaily.com/cooking/curry-leaves-flair-in-indian-cooking/
Medicinal Use of Curry Leaves
Curry leaves comes from the curry tree, grown in the warm climates of
India. Curry leaves are an essential spice in Indian cooking, and are
also known for a variety of healing properties and medicinal uses. The
leaves work as a tonic within the body, stimulating the digestive
system, and improving the quality of digestive enzymes and fluids that
break food down more easily. These leaves can be found in Indian food
stores, most ethnic food stores, and online at IndianFoodsCo.com.
Curry is both
flavorful
and fragrant, producing irresistible dishes. It is a very flexible herb
that can be cooked with either fresh, dried or powdered. When cooking
with dried curry leaves, only a third of the amount is necessary when
compared with fresh leaves.
Just a quick tip if you buy more than you can use. They freeze beautifully in an airtight bag.
Curry leaves are very tender and best used fresh. They can be
frozen and kept for future use also, but should not be removed from the
stalk in that case, or will use their flavor. In cooking, it is best to
use a fresh piece, fried in hot oil and ghee for the aroma. Contrary to
popular belief, the curry leaf does not come from the curry plant, nor
is it the secret behind the flavor of the curry powder. While some
people may add it to their curry powder, it is largely a seasoning leaf,
to be used only in specific curries to provide specific tanginess. Very
rarely it is used ground along with other spices, more often than not,
it is the first thing in the oil to be used to make the curry itself.
Not surprisingly, the curry then acquires a personality of its own,
aptly flavored by the little pointy leaf.
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 leukoderma 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.
Scientifically speaking, the curry leaf contains: 2.6%
oil, beta-caryophyllene, beta-gurjenene, beta-elemene,
beta-phellandrene, beta-thujene, alpha-selinene, beta-bisabolene,
beta-transocimene and beta-cadinene.
There are many traditional
remedies for everyday discomforts that utilize the goodness of the curry
leaf, and here are some of them. To help in constipation, one can soak
curry leaves in hot water for a few hours and drink the water with a
spoonful of honey added to it. It eases the digestive tract and allows
easier motion of stools. To cure nausea, brewing a curry leaf tea helps.
And here's a nugget, to cure nausea brought on by pregnancy, one can
drink a mixture of 1 teaspoon curry leaves juice with 2 teaspoons lime
juice and 1 teaspoon sugar every morning.
Those with a taste for drama and a strong stomach can chew on fresh curry leaves and count on it to relieve diarrhea.
As
a skin medicine, the leaves are boiled in cow's milk can be applied on a
heat rash or a milk skin infection. It can also be ground into a paste
with some turmeric and applied on acne infected skin for a few days. The
result is a glowing, clear skin. Curry leaves boiled with coconut oil
can be an effective hair colorant which causes minimum damage and
maximum benefit to graying or thinning hair. South Indian women have,
for centuries, mixed with the leaves of the China Rose and fenugreek,
and applied as a paste to keep hair long, back and gleaming.
The
myriad uses of the little pointy leaf make it a good idea to grow it in a
small pot at home. All it needs is some watering during a dry spell and
some sunshine during cold months. It can withstand a small amount of
frost and needs moderate light and warmth to grow. A small pot with
these aromatic leaves can be kept in a partially indoors area (like a
verandah), to stave off insects etc too, as well as ensure a fresh aroma
to the area.
Read more at Buzzle:
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-16-2004-57909.asp
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/i-spice/i-spice-curry-leaves.html
But I have never heard of a more misunderstood ingredient than the
poor curry leaf (kari leaf). It is a gorgeous, aromatic, shiny dark
green leaf used in Indonesian, Indian, Sri Lankan and Malay cuisines, to
name a few. In my opinion, its lemony fragrance and the taste it adds
to curries is addictive.
Unfortunately, curry leaves have no substitute.
I
have found nothing that adequately duplicates their flavor. (Commercial
curry powder, which was created by the British sometime in the 1700s,
is a mix of spices and herbs such as cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and
coriander.)
See? One has nothing to do with the other.
I spoke with Indian cooking legend
Julie Sahni
last week about curry leaves, and the first words out of her mouth
were: “Curry leaves are this decade’s lemon grass! People are using them
more and more, and finding out how amazing their flavor can be.”
How to use these beauties? First, remember that unlike bay leaves, these leaves are actually edible. Now for some ideas:
* Remove the leaves from the stem to use them (discard the stems).
Add the leaves to vegetables, lentils, meat dishes, beverages and
chutneys as you make them.
* Sizzle them in hot oil to flavor the oil, then add your choice of
vegetables or cooked rice or meats directly to the leaves and oil.
* Sizzle the leaves in hot oil along with other spices (such as black
mustard seeds), then strain and pour the hot seasoned oil over a
prepared dish or a bowl of plain yogurt.
* Sahni shared a wonderful way to use them with sea scallops:
Marinate the scallops in olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Sear them
in a hot cast-iron skillet. To serve, top with thinly sliced fresh curry
leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.
* Another Sahni suggestion: Heat some oil and add a few curry leaves.
Once the leaves begin to sizzle, remove them from the heat. Use the oil
to brush over prepared breads, or brush on a piece of plain fish before
you saute it.
http://voices.yahoo.com/medicinal-uses-curry-leaves-3497067.html
A rich source of iron, curry leaves, are made into a paste and
cooked along with vegetables or fish. This recipe is excellent for
people who have undergone an operation or surgery where they have lost a
lot of blood.
Curry leaves also make excellent natural remedies
for hair problems. If you have split ends or weak hair that falls with
the stroke of a brush; include plenty of curry leaves in your diet. An
old grandmother's beauty recipe recommends heating some curry leaves in
coconut oil and massaging the mixture into your scalp before a shower. This helps in the growth of strong, beautiful hair.
If you suffer from constipation, soak a bunch of curry leaves in
reasonably hot water for a few hours. Drink the water along with a spoon
of fresh honey and you will find much relief.
While these leaves best used fresh, they can be refrigerated for up
to two weeks. If the leaves begin to brown, discard them. Use your nose
to determine freshness: Crush a small leaf between your fingers and
smell it. If there is no lemony aroma, the leaf has lost its potency and
should be discarded.
In order to preserve the leaves and not waste what you don’t
immediately use, you can freeze them, but only if you vacuum-pack them
to prevent oxidation, which makes them slimy, dark and ruins the
flavor.) Better yet, Sahni suggests placing any leftover leaves in a
wicker basket in a cool part of your house -- any place without direct
sunlight -- and allowing the leaves to air-dry naturally. She says the
leaves will dry completely in three to five days. Then, place them in a
resealable plastic food storage bag until needed.
You can crumble the dried leaves on salads or add the whole leaves to
curries. Sahni promises they will be just as aromatic and flavorful as
the fresh ones. These dried leaves will last up to a year.
Curry leaves are easy to grow at home, but a word of warning when
buying seeds: Ask for seeds of curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) -- not a
curry plant. A “curry plant” (Helichrysum italicum) has no relation to
curry leaves.
-- Monica Bhide
-
Curry
leaves are a good source of lutein. Lutein is the substance which
gives the leaves their green color. Lutein has been shown to reduce
clogging of the arteries, and is being studied for possible immune
boosting properties. A study has suggested that lutein may help
prevent certain eye diseases.
-
Because of their high calcium content, curry leaves are
advantageous for young women, to help avoid osteoperosis later in life.
Calcium is a necessary nutrient in bone development, and for strong
teeth and fingernails.
-
Folic acid is responsible for ensuring sufficient production
of red blood cells. An insufficiency of folic acid can lead to
anemia. It is especially important during times of rapid cell
division, such as pregnancy. Curry leaves are a good source of folic
acid.
-
Niacin is found in curry leaves. Niacin is utilized in DNA
repair, and is involved in metabolism at the cellular level. Niacin is
also required for proper adrenal function.
-
B-carotene is found in curry leaves. This is important for
the prevention of night blindness. B-carotene is also an immune
booster, helping to strengthen the immune system.
-
Curry leaves are traditionally recommended for upset stomachs and for constipation. A mixture of lemon
juice
,
honey and curry leaves can be taken to help with these problems. Curry
leaves can also be mixed with milk, and ground into a paste for use as a
soothing skin ointment.
Read more:
What Are the Benefits of Curry Leaves? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5486248_benefits-curry-leaves.html#ixzz2ONPqplja
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-
These leaves are most commonly known to be a natural remedy
for getting rid of nausea. Pour a small glass of buttermilk, and season
with freshly chopped
curry
leaves. This will eliminate nausea almost immediately. The buttermilk
works to coat the stomach, while the curry leaves improve digestion.
Drink this mixture as needed, when you begin to feel nauseous.
-
Consuming curry leaves is also a natural remedy to relieve
vomiting. As with nausea, the leaves can be mixed with a small glass of
buttermilk or water, or eaten by themselves. A glass of room temperature
water, mixed with a spoonful of crushed curry leaves, a pinch of salt,
and a pinch of sugar, is one of the best remedies for soothing the
stomach, and re-hydrating the body.
-
Curry leaves can also help get rid of indigestion and heart
burn. Pour a small glass of cold water, add in a few drops of honey or
lime juice, and add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed curry leaves. Drink this
when you begin to experience indigestion or heart burn symptoms, or
drink it with a meal that typically leads to indigestion or heart burn.
Meals that are most commonly associated with heartburn include spicy and
greasy foods, and foods high in acid such as tomato sauce or pizza.
-
Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can also help with your
weight loss plan.
These leaves are known to flush out fat and toxins, thereby reducing
fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad
cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate 8 to 10 curry
leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink,
or sprinkle them over a meal. If you don't mind the taste, you can also
eat the leaves by themselves.
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