Curry Leaves

[tommytouch]

Does anyone know of a place in Bangkok that sells curry leaves, fresh not dried? I seem to recall seeing them in an Indian convenience store on Sukhumvit 23.

Thanks for any help.

[ShopBoy]

Have you tried to retract or goes back to the same shop at Suk 23 ?

[tommytouch]

Have you tried to retract or goes back to the same shop at Suk 23 ?

No but I'll have a look the next time I'm over that way, maybe even tomorrow. There's a good chance they're available in Little India (obviously) but that's a bit out of the way for me.

I love using them in Indian recipes. When fresh they're wonderfully aromatic and add great flavour but the dried leaves are nowhere near as nice.

[arthurriding]

They sell them in Siam Paragon in Bangkok in the supermarket in the basement. There is a separate section near the front of the supermarket on the far left side as you are facing it, which has a lot of dried and packet herbs, much better than the usual supermarket selection. It looks like it is part of the supermarket but in fact seem to be run separately as you have to pay at the tills in that section rather than at the main supermarket tills. I can't remember the exact price but I think it was about 70 baht for a jar which is a bit pricey. The dried curry leaves are sold whole in a similar bottle to the ones used for bay leaves, ie slightly taller than the average herb jar.

You are right that the fresh ones are so much better than the dried but if you can't get fresh then the dried are better than nothing. The trouble is that in Thailand hardly anyone knows what you are talking about if you are asking for curry leaves, unless you are talking to an Indian. In the end what we did was that on a trip to Singapore last year we actually bought 2 small curry plants in a garden centre there and brought them back to Thailand. If you wrap them well in newspaper and then wrap in bubble wrap they seem to survive the flight from Singapore quite well, even in the hold baggage. We planted them in the garden and although one died, the other one has thrived and is growing very well even though we live by the sea in Bang Saen so the air is fairly salty. Anyway we now use the fresh ones all the time but I keep a supply of the dried ones for when we are away from home or in case it is raining and I don't fancy going into the garden!

[tommytouch]

They sell them in Siam Paragon in Bangkok in the supermarket in the basement. There is a separate section near the front of the supermarket on the far left side as you are facing it, which has a lot of dried and packet herbs, much better than the usual supermarket selection. It looks like it is part of the supermarket but in fact seem to be run separately as you have to pay at the tills in that section rather than at the main supermarket tills. I can't remember the exact price but I think it was about 70 baht for a jar which is a bit pricey. The dried curry leaves are sold whole in a similar bottle to the ones used for bay leaves, ie slightly taller than the average herb jar.

Thanks for that. I heard about this spice place when they first opened but never made it there and forgot it existed. I'll pay them a visit. I went back to the Soi 23 Indian store that I mentioned before and they have fresh curry leaves at B25 for a very small packet (probably dried too, although not much point if they have the fresh).

You are right that the fresh ones are so much better than the dried but if you can't get fresh then the dried are better than nothing. The trouble is that in Thailand hardly anyone knows what you are talking about if you are asking for curry leaves, unless you are talking to an Indian. In the end what we did was that on a trip to Singapore last year we actually bought 2 small curry plants in a garden centre there and brought them back to Thailand. If you wrap them well in newspaper and then wrap in bubble wrap they seem to survive the flight from Singapore quite well, even in the hold baggage. We planted them in the garden and although one died, the other one has thrived and is growing very well even though we live by the sea in Bang Saen so the air is fairly salty. Anyway we now use the fresh ones all the time but I keep a supply of the dried ones for when we are away from home or in case it is raining and I don't fancy going into the garden!

Wow, I'm envious of you having them growing in the garden (lucky you bought two plants if one died). I actually researched them online with a view to acquiring a plant of my own but unfortunately it looks like they grow fairly big, i.e. a small tree / bush - not suitable for my place in Bangkok. You should try freezing some leaves, I have a feeling they'd take quite well to it?

[soidog2]

Fresh or dried, (fragrant, organically grown) curry leaves, available overnight via EMS, anywhere in Thailand.

PM for details.

[ableguy]

There is a small market at the main crossroads by Asoke bts station with an Indian store there and they also sell them in the market,

The market is on the same side as Robinsons. Walk from Robinsons towards Asoke BTS at the main Road crossroads turn left about 100 metres on the same side as you will be is a small market, The Indian shop has a great selection of goods at decent prices

[The Mistress of Spices]

Yes! Peng Lee, which is a small Chinese shop stocking many Indian goods. It is in Asok Market right at the exit of Asok BTS, next to Terminal 21. They have fresh curry leaves. You can definitely freeze them to make them last longer, I do it all the time.

[arjuna999]

Hi all you curry lovers, I just wanted to mention (this is 2019 now) that fresh curry leaves are available on "shopee.co.th", a very well-established and reputable online shopping website. They'll mail them to you very quickly and of course it's quite inexpensive. Go onto the site, type "ใบกะหรี่" into the search box, and you'll see them there.

 

 

[worgeordie]

Years ago I bought a packet of Curry leaves with stalks,from a

supermarket in Singapore,managed to grow one tree which is

at least 5 mtrs high now,the birds also love the fruit,also the 

flowers are nicely scented,I make a lot of curries but don't use

the leaves very much,mostly because I keep forgetting I have

the tree.

regards Worgeordie