First, to be clear, curry leaves come from a large shrub that can grow into a tall tree (Murraya koenigii) and should not be confused with the curry plant, a shrub with dusty grey-green leaves and yellow flowers that flourishes in dry rocky parts of the garden.
Sniffing a curry plant is like sticking your nose in a jar of Madras curry powder. Curry leaves are more subtle, more intriguing, and their aroma is complex – I don’t know anyone who can put their finger on it exactly, though I’ll try: crushed lemon leaf, dried tangerine peel, tobacco box, fenugreek seed, cumin seed, mace, rocket and bacon. True! Like a plump pork and bacon sausage cooked slowly in butter with all its gorgeous sticky goo gathering in the edges of…
