Anyone grow them?-know where I can buy one?
I`m fed up of trying to get really fresh ones and over on a cookery site someone said they grew their own
We had one in the garden some years ago, it grew huge and the place smelt like an Indian takeaway. Someone down our road has one, we can tell which house we're passing - from the smell!!!
Cuttings most welcome??
Smelt?? Are we talking about Curry Leaves or the Curry Plant??
Very different.
Curry leaves Tim-hard as hen`s teeth to find fresh around here. Semi dry and mostly bark I can get from an Asian shop in Peterborough-but I want my own.
I'm talking about the curry plant - looks like lavender, greyish leaves - I've got a photo of it, it's a bit out of focus but you get the general idea:
[attachment=1]
I know the curry plant-I`m on about curry leaves.
Nice plant though
I think it was Cam who once said she could buy bits of curry plant (rather than leaves)? hmmm....if this is so praps she could send you some & you could try to root it? Actually would like to do the same myself. Like you, I can only get dried curry leaves - and they don't dry and carry the taste well, actually, do they?
Difficult to track down but here are 3 places you can buy a curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii).
Poyntzfield Herb Nursery (http://www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/catalogue1.asp?sortby=engname&colhead=shrubs&req=yes&doctitle=Shrubs%20and%20small%20trees.) £8.50 + £6.50 P+P, but minimum order is £10 so you would have to buy something else too.
Old Hall Plants (http://www.oldhallplants.co.uk/) phone/email for price.
Ebay shop (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TROPICAL-HERBS-Curry-Plant-Murraya-koenigii-9-14_W0QQitemZ220217499773QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116) £3.99 + £3.50 P+P, Seller is in Malaysia but feedback suggests plants despatched to the UK arrive quickly & safely.
Yes, yes, yes!
As said - 2 very different plants. One you can cook with.
I don't see the leaves as very interesting - compared with what we have 'over here'. AM will disagree?
If I DO use fresh, I freeze them. But I can live without them, I believe tahat we so often try to imitate other-national foods without the resources?
Quote from: Baccy Man on September 01, 2008, 19:12:37
Difficult to track down but here are 3 places you can buy a curry leaf tree (Murraya koenigii).
Poyntzfield Herb Nursery (http://www.poyntzfieldherbs.co.uk/catalogue1.asp?sortby=engname&colhead=shrubs&req=yes&doctitle=Shrubs%20and%20small%20trees.) £8.50 + £6.50 P+P, but minimum order is £10 so you would have to buy something else too.
Old Hall Plants (http://www.oldhallplants.co.uk/) phone/email for price.
Ebay shop (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TROPICAL-HERBS-Curry-Plant-Murraya-koenigii-9-14_W0QQitemZ220217499773QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116) £3.99 + £3.50 P+P, Seller is in Malaysia but feedback suggests plants despatched to the UK arrive quickly & safely.
I contacted Old Hall PLants, I haven't got the reply to hand, but I think their plants are also £3.99, but only 4" tall, whereas the ebay seller in Malaysia - they're plants are bigger.
Looking at fresh stalks of curry leaves I'm guessing these are quite slow growing plants, so I think I'm going to order from Malaysia.
I LOVE curry leaves in cooking as well - and dried they really lose almost all that flavour.
Hence freezing?
And without being bitchy, I defy any ordinary person to tell me whether I used them, or no, in a curry.
I don't use them in curry...I use them in bechamel - last time I used bay was the time just before I discovered curryleaves ;D In fact, whenever I would once have used bay, I use curryleaves, so I'd love to have a ready supply of fresh.
Quote from: tim on September 01, 2008, 20:15:47
Hence freezing?
That's only an option if you can buy fresh ones to freeze - packets of greyed out old dried ones are easier to come by. And even then not that easy if you live in the sticks.
Quote from: tim on September 01, 2008, 20:15:47
And without being bitchy, I defy any ordinary person to tell me whether I used them, or no, in a curry.
Depends what you call 'curry' - They're used a lot in south indian food, which doesnt use as many spices as north indian food, which we usually call curry.
So for example if you cook lentils Andhra style - you can just add some cumin seeds, mustard seeds, tamarind and curry leaves. Sounds like it would be bland - no onion, no garlic, no ginger - enough to make a north Indian reach for the garam masala. But it's absolutely delicious - mainly due to the curry leaves IMO
Same if you add them to lemon rice - makes the dish.
Quote from: pigeonseed on September 02, 2008, 21:35:20
if you add them to lemon rice - makes the dish.
I so agree with that!
lemon rice without Curry leaves wouldn't be a lemon rice!
Just checked out the links and the thought of growing my own curry leaves is sooo tempting.
Baccy Man did you get a response from Old Hall Plants yet?
Do so agree with most of those ideas.
Especialy 'CURRY'. Which is only spiced food? Which is not a huge step away from the Middle East etc
And Lemon Rice ? I'm so naive that I just use Lemon!!
Quote from: tim on September 03, 2008, 18:46:56
And Lemon Rice ? I'm so naive that I just use Lemon!!
Tim
Cook the rice as normal, when done add the lemon juice and some rind. In a pan heat a bit of oil, when hot add some mustard seeds, curry leaves and a dried chili, fry for a min or 2 then add the rice. Then EAT!!!
OK!
Am i right in thinking that curry leaf plants aren't frost hardy? And if so would they be ok in a cold frame over winter (once they are a bit more established) ?