Special Mom’s blog

Curry leaves are widely used in Indian cooking. It is usually used at the end as garnish and to add flavor. A decorative item, was what I thought when growing up. The vegetable vendors would offer it for free when you purchase them and most houses also had the tree! I used to pick those green leaves and put it aside and if my grandma noticed, she would ask me to eat those uncooked leaves. She would say it is good for digestion. Anyhow these can also be powdered along with other lentils and consumed with food! A great way for consumption.

Coming to the States, I had to buy these leaves. A small pack with few leaves costed a dollar. I cook, but garnishing with these leaves I had no time or I didn’t create a muscle memory for the same. I would buy and completely forget about it. So we used to have unused packs in the refrigerator!

This time when I returned from India, my mom packed me a small pack of curry leaves powder. She gave it to my husband while he was packing and me when I came home hunted it like a dog to find it. I found the small packet after a long search and saved it and slowly consumed it along with rice for a month. The taste was beyond anything. When I told my mom, she just said that I too can make it if I had two packs of the same!

So at the Indian store last week, I purchased two packs for two dollars or I should say 99 cents each. My husband was surprised why I got two! Ha ha, even one I had hard time using it! I told him that I had a project.

The project finally materialized yesterday night after dinner! My mom’s curry leaves powder was dark green but mine is not like that. The taste is a bit off, but I have a small bottle of curry leaves powder with a rich curry leaves aroma and taste. I can hear my grandma’s voice. “It would help with digestion”.😃

By the way, a lot of Indians in the US have the plant or the tree in their house. They take so much pain to bring it in during winter. Will I be doing it? Ha ha, No! I would just get a pack or two from the store 😃! I now know how to use them and not waste it ☺️!