rantlust

Posted by anupcs on March 14th 2008 in Food & Wine
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Curry leaves are essential ingredients for me when cooking South Indian (especially Kerala) food. Last week, I was distressed to find out from a local Indian grocery store that they are now banned (at least) in California. Apparently they found some pests in the shipments (interestingly these come to California from Hawaii) and are temporarily banned until they figure out what’s going on. See here for more info.

While it’s possible to use curry leaf powder as a substitute, it’s just not the same. Curry leaves are normally added in the beginning when cooking a veggie, chicken, or seafood dish. The splatter when they hit the oil, the crackling sound, and the aroma they release within a few seconds adds so much to the flavor and pleasure of cooking. I am going to miss them dearly.

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