I believe one of the most popular dishes that everyone associates with Thai and Indian food is curry. The seasoning we think of as curry is actually a combination of several spices blended together. This spice blend is publicly known as masala across India and countries around.
The curry tree is native to India, Sri Lanka and their neighbouring countries. The plant produces small white self-pollinating flowers, which produce shiny-black berries. The berry pulp is edible with a sweet but medicinal flavour. Its leaves are commonly used as seasoning for food as they a distinctively special flavour to every dish.
Fresh curry leaves have a pleasant sweet and reminiscent aroma. Once you roast them in oil, the aroma and flavour changes, remarkably, into a pleasant and delicious flavour. Curry leaf is also used in pickles, egg dishes, chutneys and many other Asian and Indian dishes.
There is more to the humble curry leaf than simple flavour. Curry is full of vitamins (A,B,C, E) and is also filled with carbohydrates, fibre, calcium and iron, which helps your heart to function better, fight infections and has many other health benefits.
For its aromatic properties, curry leaves finds use in application in soap making, body lotions, diffusers, scents, air fresheners, body fragrance, perfume, towel scenting, bath & massage oils and many other items.
So, let's see how curry leaves can be used in beverages - for today I have decided to use the curry chutney recipe in a Bloody Mary below, - should make the perfect hangover cure. Let me know your thoughts :)
Kadi Patta Mary
50 ml Vodka
2 tbs of Curry chutney
15 ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pinch black salt
1 pinch pepper
Top up with a good quality tomato juice
1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing shaker with ice and pour 3 - 5 times from one shaker to another.
2. Once done, pour into a glass over ice.
3. Garnish with a pickled vegetable on the side.
