Curry Leaf Rice

The Curry Tree or Karivepallai or Kadipatta (Tamil: கறிவேப்பிலை) (Murraya koenigii; syn. Bergera koenigii, Chalcas koenigii) is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India. It produces the leaves known as Curry leaves or Sweet Neem leaves.

The curry leaf tree is native to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Andaman Islands. Later spread by Indian migrants, they now grow in other areas of the world where Indian immigrants settled. Widely cultivated, the leaves are particularly associated with South Indian cuisines. The use of curry leaves as a flavouring for vegetables is described in early Tamil literature dating back to the 1st to 4th centuries AD. Its use is also mentioned a few centuries later in Kannada literature. Curry leaves are still closely associated with South India where the word 'curry' originates from the Tamil 'kari' for spiced sauces.Click here to know more about the history of curry leaves.

Curry leaves are beneficial in constipation, stomach problems, kidney disorders, vomiting, nausea, burns and bruises, insect bites, spots and rashes, premature graying of hair. Click here to know more about the benefits of curry leaf.

Ingredients:

Curry leaves - 1 cup
Tamarind - 1 tsp, concentrated
Red chili - 2 *
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves - 1
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Rice - 2 cups, cooked
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt *

Directions:

Grind all the ingredients except oil, add 1-2 Tbsp of water if you need. In a heavy bottom pan, add 2 Tbsp of oil. Add the ground curry leaves paste and stir until all the water evaporates from the paste. Add this paste to the rice and mix well. Add more paste or salt per your taste. Can store this paste in refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.