What are curry leaves and where can you buy them?
Discover what curry leaves are, where to shop for them and how to use them in our ingredient glossary
Check out our guide to curry leaves, including where to buy them, and plenty of recipe inspiration, then read about what is ghee, saffron and lemongrass.
What are curry leaves?
Curry leaves are the shiny, dark green, aromatic leaves of a tree from the citrus fruit family. They release a deliciously nutty aroma when fried in hot oil and are a staple of south Indian cooking. Curry leaves can be bought fresh or dried, with the former having far more aroma.
Where to buy curry leaves
JustIngredients organic curry leaves, £10.69/100g, olive shop
Rajah Curry Leaves, £3.64/10g, Amazon
Cooks' Ingredients curry leaves, £1.25/3 stems, Waitrose
Recipes with curry leaves
Courgette curry
Prepare this light, summery courgette curry in less than an hour – perfect for a vegetarian midweek dinner. It's also gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
Sweet potato and lentil curry
A vibrant, low-calorie and vegan dinner idea, made with sweet potatoes, red split lentils, coconut milk and plenty of spices. Enjoy with a naan or pilau rice.
Keralan chicken curry
Try this classic Keralan chicken curry, with flavours of ginger, green chilli, whole fragrant spices and a light, creamy gravy enriched with cashew nuts.
Green bean curry
This is a perfect main or part of a spread, adapted from Laxmi Khurana’s An Indian Housewife’s Recipe Book. You can use frozen beans, but use fresh while they're at their best in the summer to add crunch.
Kolamba’s parippu (lentil curry)
The co-founder of Kolamba in London’s Soho shares this recipe with us from the restaurant's kitchen. A lentil curry spiced with mustard seeds, chilli powder, curry leaves and cinnamon, with layers of delicate flavour.
Curried chicken nuggets with curry leaf mayo
Mayonnaise is used to make these chicken nuggets quickly and easily, and also makes a great dip when mixed with curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Sri Lankan tequila and curry leaf cocktail
This simple yet stylish short cocktail made using only tequila, lime, agave syrup and curry leaves is a must-have for your next cocktail party. This recipe comes from Soho restaurant Kolamba.
Hirwa kolambi kalwan
Try our vibrant green coconut prawn curry with chilli, coriander and curry leaves. We've used shell-on prawns as they add so much flavour, although you could make this with peeled prawns as well.
Kolamba’s chicken curry
Make this your go-to special chicken curry. Straight from the kitchen of London's Kolamba restaurant, this Sri Lankan recipe is made with fresh spices and homemade roasted curry powder.