Curry Tree
Murraya Koenigii in a blue and white tapered vine pot
A Large shrub or small tree with smooth, shiny, pungently - flavoured foliage.
The fresh leaves are a famous ingredient in Asian cuisine. Ideal for growing in large pots on warm patios.
Originating in India and Sri Lanka, the curry tree requires a warm, sunny, sheltered site with regular watering and well drained soil or potting mix.
Here in Melbourne’s temperate climate a curry leaf tree will grow to around 2-3m in height, and may lose leaves over winter in colder areas. When grown against a north or west facing wall, which creates a warm microclimate, the trees are less affected by cold and tend to retain their leaves.
Curry leaf trees can produce clusters of small fragrant white flowers in summer.
The leaves are best used fresh as they lose their flavour when dried. Fresh leaves last for a week in the fridge when placed in a dry plastic bag. To preserve them for longer periods, pick curry leaf leaves when they are green and full of flavour in summer or autumn and freeze them, but keep the leaves intact, don’t strip the small individual leaflets from the leaf stem before freezing them.
Pruning can be carried out through the growing season to keep the tree bushy and to supply a large harvest of leaves for freezing.
In cooking, the leaves impart a subtle warm, smoky, spicy flavour and aroma to curries, meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes, pickles and chutneys. The leaves are often sautéed (lightly fried) first in oil to enhance the flavour, often with other spices and then added to stir-fries or curries.
Requires sun to part shade
Height 4m x Width 2m
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