Are Curry Leaves Used In Thai Cuisine?

[ravip]

I would like to know if Curry Leaves are used in Thai cuisine?

Is it freely available?

What/how is it called/written in Thai?

Binomial name - Murraya koenigii

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_Tree

Thank you

[koknia]

I have never seen them used. They impart a very distinct flavour that isn't Thai whatsoever. In southern Indian cooking you see them all the time.

[TantraMantra]

This is from the point of view of a vegetarian,

Having spent over 2 years in India (off and on) and a similar time in Thailand I would say that Indian food is very heavy compared to Thai. It's based on oil or ghee and strong flavored ground or seed spices are used. Plus chapatis,paratha and nan bread etc.

It give one a sense of feeling very full (or fat) after eating. I've often felt that I don't need to eat for a few days after an Indian meal.

Thai food is much lighter and uses more leafy herbs for flavoring. A Thai meal is not as filling and you might feel like eating again an hour later. Hence,Thai's often eat 5-6 times a day. Indians eat at 3 fixed times.

Every country has it's own food but the British are gradually being weaned off fish n' chips to accept International food. Just as Americans are slowly, I hope, giving up Burgers and Thais are eating more Burgers than before, sadly.

Oops! Sorry, posted on wrong topic.

Edited April 1, 2012 by TantraMantra

[mrjohn]

Curry leaves are widely available in the markets of the south, where they are very much part of the local diet.

Look for them in the rainy season when the trees have lots of new leaf.

They tend to sell small bunches of the youngest shoots because the Thais tend to eat them raw as a nibble on the side with nam prik.

One restaurant in Pang Nga made a fantastic dish called Yam Samon Prai which was an assembly of finely chopped local herbs,shallots, chillies and toasted coconut dressed with lime juice and fish sauce. The leaves used for this would vary according to the season, but cha puu (the leaves used to make miang kham) and lime leaves were always used and curry leaves were usually present.

When we lived in the south, the locals called the curry leaf plants “don samui.”

If you can get hold of a plant they are easy enough to grow, but they do like humidity.

We imported some small trees from Phuket and they now grow well enough in our garden here in the north. They produce lots of side shoots, which can be potted on to produce adult trees which we pass on to Thai friends.

Northern and Central Thais don’t usually seem to know the plants but they do like to eat them, especially with laab moo.

[GF132]

I think central Thais don't know these leaves. We don't cook with it ever, at least to the best of my knowledge.

I sometimes get fresh curry leaves along with other indian/sri lankan spices at the bangkok refugee Center in soi indramara 35 in suttisarn area.

I guess you can find them in pahurad near Sikh temple too.