Speaking of which: According to Julie Sahni, “Classic Indian Cooking”, “Curry is the Western pronunciation of the Indian word kari which can mean one of two things: the sweet aromatic leaves of the kari plant … or the southern cooking technique of preparing stir-fried vegetables such as Green Beans with coconut and Black Mustard Seeds.”
She goes on to explain the British merchants wanted an easy way to replicate the flavors of Indian cuisine, but lacked the skills and know-how. Instead, “kari podi” (spice blend powders/ground masalas) morphed into the word “curry”. Now, the word is used everywhere for all sorts of dishes; even Thai spice blends are called curries in English.
Back to the kari plant: if that’s the same as curry leaf, Murraya koenigii, I beg to differ on the aromatic leaves being “sweet”; they smell a bit like burnt matches! Savory, yes, and they, like Hing, add an essential flavor to certain dishes. What is more surprising is that Curry Leaf is super sensitive to drying out, coming from India! Most woody plants will wilt, maybe drop leaves and recover if they get too dry. Murraya dies if it defoliates; so one better water it if it wilts. I’ve killed two and the same has happened to some friends. It must thrive in jungle areas. My plants are outside and love the rank humidity and heat. They’re even starting to make offshoots/suckers.
