Curry leaf, is one magical herb with distinctive flavor which brings out the great aroma of most Indian dishes. They are available in abundance in India but a treasured gourmet produce for people living abroad. Preserving and storing them is a big question among most of us. In this post you will learn how to store fresh curry leaves for a long time.
I have shared 4 easy ways to store them and also few tips to extend their shelf life.
How to store curry leaves
Learn how to store fresh curry leaves in fridge for a long time.
Ingredients
- 1 pack Fresh Curry Leaves
Instructions
Prep work
- Thoroughly wash the curry leaves to remove any mud or dirt.
- Spread them over a clean kitchen towel to dry.
- Pat dry with a paper towel to remove all moisture.
- Let it air dry for 3 hours.
Method - 1
- Line a clean plastic box with paper towel and place the leaves in it leaving enough room to breathe. Loosely cover with another paper towel.
- Loosely cover with lid and refrigerate. Keeping in air tight box may trap moisture in and make them go bad.
- This method will keep them good for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Change paper towel weekly to keep it dry.
Method - 2
- Wrap the sprigs in a paper towel and store them in a ziplock bag.
- Do not seal the zipper, gently fold and refrigerate.
- In this method, it will collect tiny droplets of water within few days. Wipe them clean and change the paper towel to keep it dry.
- This method will keep them good for 2 to 3 weeks.
Method - 3
- Line a tray with paper towel and place the leaves on it.
- Cover with a paper towel on top and let it rest on the kitchen counter for 3 - 4 days.
- It will dry out completely and turn crisp & brittle.
- Store dried leaves in an air-tight box. Either keep it at room temperature or refrigerate.
- This method keeps them good for 3 months. Color may fade slowing though.
Method - 4
- Microwave curry leaves for 2 to 3 minutes at high powder.
- Give about 10 minutes of resting time.
- It will dry up completely, keeping the leaves green in color.
- Store this in an air-tight box. You may refrigerate if you want to extend life.
- This way it will last for 5 to 6 months.
Notes
Drying them in direct sun will change their color, will last for more than a year.
Drying in shade will last for couple of months, color will be intact for few months and then will fade away.
Freezing works but will affect the color, flavor and taste.
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Curry leaves can be preserved in the following ways.
Prep work
-
Thoroughly wash the curry leaves to remove any mud or dirt.
-
Spread them over a clean kitchen towel to dry.
-
Pat dry with a paper towel to remove all moisture.
-
Let it air dry for 3 hours.
Method – 1
-
Line a clean plastic box with paper towel and place the leaves in it leaving enough room to breathe. Loosely cover with another paper towel.
-
Loosely cover with lid and refrigerate. Keeping in air tight box may trap moisture in and make them go bad.
-
This method will keep them good for 2 to 3 weeks.
-
Change paper towel weekly to keep it dry.
Method – 2
-
Wrap the sprigs in a paper towel and store them in a ziplock bag.
-
Do not seal the zipper, gently fold and refrigerate.
-
In this method, it will collect tiny droplets of water within few days. Wipe them clean and change the paper towel to keep it dry.
-
This method will keep them good for 2 to 3 weeks.
Method – 3
-
Line a tray with paper towel and place the leaves on it.
-
Cover with a paper towel on top and let it rest on the kitchen counter for 3 – 4 days.
-
It will dry out completely and turn crisp & brittle.
-
Store dried leaves in an air-tight box. Either keep it at room temperature or refrigerate.
-
This method keeps them good for 3 months. Color may fade slowing though.
Method – 4
-
Microwave curry leaves for 2 to 3 minutes at high powder.
-
Give about 10 minutes of resting time.
-
It will dry up completely, keeping the leaves green in color.
-
Store this in an air-tight box. You may refrigerate if you want to extend life.
-
This way it will last for 5 to 6 months.
Notes
Drying them in direct sun will change their color, will last for more than a year.
Drying in shade will last for couple of months, color will be intact for few months and then will fade away.
Freezing works but will affect the color, flavor and taste.
14 Comments
All these years I have struggled a lot to maintain the curry leaves especially during winter .. loved the video and tips Akka.. followed the ziplock technique.. thanks v much..
Am so glad I found ur website, have helped me a lot, wonderful recipes mullai Akka ❤️
So happy to hear Sudha🤗🤗🤗🤗💕
would quick blanching the curry leaves, patting dry & then storing in whatever ways be better? Or is blanching only reserved for more leafy herbs like coriander, parsley, etc?
Hi Mullai,
my mom in india microwave dries the curry leaves and gives it to me when i go to India.
method is bring the fresh curry leaves from the market and was and drain all the water and place them on the glass microwave spining plate and microwave it for 1min. The color and flavor stays fresh and you can store it in air tight container for 6 months.
Thanks Jyothi, I’ve added that to the list.
I store curry leaves with the stalk in the fridge; in a flat plastic container with kitchen paper at the bottom. This keeps for more than 3 weeks.
we required dry curry leaves for using in spices
Have you tried storing them in a plastic box in the refridgerator? Plastic ziplock bags cling onto the leaves and create an environment that promotes rotting. The same kind of box you’d use to store them in the freezer will give you a several more days in the refrigerator. Do not wash them before storing.
wiould like to know after freeze drying the curry leaf, what is the percentage of water content .
I read in “Savoring the Spice Coast of India” cookbook a very neat trick: keeping leaves on the stem, lay them flat between dry paper towels (you can make many layers), in a ziploc bag, refrigerated. They last for WEEKS this way, I’ve done it many times. They only start to go brown in about a MONTH when stored this way. It really works!
We can even freeze coriandre leaves..should be cleaned n been dried in cotton towel…coriandre leaves can be stored in freezer for more than 2 months..it has been proved that frozened food n frozened herbs cant loss their vitamins…cut the dried coriandre into small herbs n conserve it
My mom also used to give me like this way.
You are right Shan, better to get a batch of dry leaves from India. It has to be dried in a shady place (Nizhala ullara vaithal). Counter top drying fail sometimes.
Hi Mullai'
After coming back to Taiwan , i was just worried as to how i will be saving these currry leaves ….ur tip was very useful.Thanx.
Sadhana Raveen