Curry leaves, or Kariveppu, available in shops often contain harmful chemicals to improve their shelf life. However, it can easily be grown in our homes.
Curry leaves are commonly found in two varieties: small leaves and large leaves. The smaller the leaves, the better the aroma, quality, and taste.
- Common names: Curry Leaves Plant, Curry Tree
- Scientific name: Murraya koenigii
- Botanical family: Rutaceae
- Edibility rating: 6/10
- Health benefits: 6/10
Growing Curry Tree
Fill small plastic bags with organic manure, soil, and coir pith. It is good to add some neem cake to this mixture. This gives you the benefit of organic pesticides and organic fertilisers.
Plant the seeds collected from the disease-free mother tree in the plastic bag. These seedlings can be transplanted to the ground or into a larger pot within two to three months.
Provide the curry plant with a 3 m x 3 m spacing while planting on the ground. The pit should be at least one metre deep. Add any organic manure, neem cake, a little bone meal, and lime and mix well. Transplant the seedlings into this pit. Maintain a short stature for the tree.
Medicinal uses of curry tree leaves
According to Ayurveda, curry leaves are considered medicine. Incorporating curry leaves into our diet will facilitate the digestive process. Curry leaves have the ability to remove toxins from food to some extent. Adding curry leaves to the diet can increase their nutritional value.
In folk medicine, it is said to be good to eat curry chutney for eye health. Roasted curry leaves, red onion, and ginger are good for digestive problems. Sprouted leaves mixed with honey can be taken to relieve diarrhoea.
For normalisation of liver function, it is sufficient to take 5 mL of curry infusion with honey. If curry leaves are included in the diet in large quantities, the diseases caused by vitamin A deficiency will not occur. Putting a few dried curry leaves in a bowl where food items like beans and nuts are kept will keep away insects and worms.