Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Benefits of Curry Leaves

Curry Leaves
 
Curry Leaf Rice

With the information on the benefits of curry leaves, use this gift of nature as a part of your everyday cooking ingredients and in its natural form.  In Indian cooking, in general, and south Indian vegetarian cooking, in particular, curry leaves are used in dishes that range from pulavs to sambars, curries to chutneys.  The benefits of curry leaves would make you to use them in your day-to-day cooking.

Certain food preparations make a heavy use of curry leaves. Such items include curry leaves rice, curry leaves chutney and curry leaves chutney powder.

Here is the URL for the curry leaves rice recipe at southindianvegrecipes.com:

southindianvegrecipes.com/rice_recipes/curry%20leaf%20rice%20recipe.html

Here is the URL for the curry leaves chutney recipe at southindianvegrecipes.com:

southindianvegrecipes.com/chutney_recipes/curry_leaves_chutney.html

Why should you use Curry Leaves in Cooking?

Here are some of the benefits of curry leaves. These:
  • Have antioxidants.  These are molecules, found in raw food like curry leaves, fruits and vegetables, which prevent diseases or lower the risk of the same.
  • Have vitamin A, which means they are good for eye health.
  • May help keep diabetes under control. A research study conducted by the School of Medicine, University of Chicago, found that curry leaf may help “in improving the management of high cholesterol levels and type 2 diabetes.”
  • May work as a powerful anticancer agent.
  • Can help digest food easily.  It is quite common to add curry leaves to buttermilk, which can be consumed with rice or can be used as an after-lunch or after-dinner drink.
  • Are a source of vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Where to buy Curry Leaves?

If you are thinking of where to buy curry leaves, an answer is buy from a vegetable vendor who comes to your street every morning.

It is best to use fresh curry leaves in the dish you will prepare.  So, the vegetable wallah would be a best bet to buy a bundle of curry leaves, as he / she would perhaps carry the fresh stuff.

Another answer to the question, “Where to buy curry leaves?” is buy from a grocery store or a vegetable market.  These sources too would carry fresh leaves.

How to Use Curry Leaves?

First, thoroughly wash the curry leaves and wipe them dry.

Use a few leaves, about six to seven or more, depending on the quantity of the food you are preparing, in the seasoning you prepare for rice preparations, sambars, rasams and curries.

AND OR

Finely chop the curry leaves, again their number depends on the quantity, and add them to the buttermilk.

Curry Leaves Rice Recipe

One of the recipes for curry leaves is the curry leaves rice.  Here is the URL for the step-by-step instructions with photos to make curry leaves rice:

southindianvegrecipes.com/rice_recipes/curry%20leaf%20rice%20recipe.html

References:

worldscientific.com/doi/abs/10.1142/S0192415X06003825?journalCode=ajcm
researchgate.net/post/Rose_petals_and_curry_leaf_are_having_any_anticancer_activity_Is_that_proven

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