Curry tree is basically a tree of tropical to subtropical regions. Native to Sri Lanka and India, it belongs to the family Rutaceae along with rue, satinwood, and citrus. A small tree growing 4–6 m tall, curry tree trunk has a diameter of about 40 cm. The aromatic curry leaves are arranged in pairs on the branches of curry tree. Each leaf has 11–21 leaflets. Curry plant bears small white flowers which are capable of self-pollinating. The fruit of curry plant is a small and shiny-dark colored berries. These contain a single and large viable seed. The pulp of the berry is edible. It has a sweet with medicinal flavour. Generally, neither the pulp nor the seed is used for cooking purposes.

Being the best seasoning component, the leaves are highly valued in the regions of southern and west-coast India. When cooked, curry leaves disseminate a distinct aroma and add a unique flavour to the dish. It is very popular in India, Sri Lanka and in the nearby countries. In Sri Lankan cooking recipes, these leaves are usually fried in vegetable oil with some mustard seeds and a few chopped onions in the very first stage of the preparations. Curry leaves also find their use in various south Indian preparations including thoran, rasam, vada. They are also used in the preparation of kadhi, a north Indian recipe.

The name curry leaves may come from the extensive use of these leaves as they are majorly used in the preparation of curries. They are also known as 'sweet neem leaves' in many Indian languages. This is contrary to the bitter normal Indian neem leaves, which belong to the family of Meliaceae and not Rutaceae. 

Though it is mainly used in cooking or for culinary purposes, Ayurvedic and Siddha fields of medicine highly appreciate the use of curry leaves due to their antidiabetic properties. However, this needs more research as no high-quality evidence supports this. These also serve as a good substitute for the tulsi leaves as a requirement in rituals and pujas.

Basic Facts about Curry Leaves:

• Botanical name: Murraya koenigii
• Family: Rutaceae
• Common Name: Curry Leaves, kadipatta in Hindi
• Sanskrit name: Girinimba
• Parts used: Leaves
• Native region and geographical distribution: Being native, these leaves are mainly used in the western and southern parts of India. Indian migrants can be credited rightly for curry leaves cultivation being done in home gardens across Asia. These days, we can easily find fresh curry leaves at specialty markets and stores in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Fiji, Burma, Malaysia, Europe, South Africa and the United States.

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