dried curry leaves

[egale]

With a great deal of trouble, I managed to grow a curry tree from seed here in southern California. I had to prune it lately as it had become quite leggy. As a result, I have a bag full of fresh curry leaves in the refrigerator.

Without noticing, I dropped some of the pruned curry leaves on the floor when I bagged them. I picked them up in a few days and the leaves had dried. They were quite aromatic and redolent of curry, although quite dry.

So my question is, should I dry the rest of the curry leaves for later use? I will be a month or two until my tree produces fresh leaves again.

I read in some previous threads that "dried curry leaves are good for nothing." Is that really true?

[Anna N]

IMHO far better to freeze them than to dry them.

[LuckyGirl]

IMHO far better to freeze them than to dry them.

I agree. Fresh curry leaves aren't always available to me so I always keep a stash in the freezer.

[egale]

Do you freeze them whole, or do you mince them and mix them with water or oil and then freeze them in ice cube trays?

[heidih]

I always freeze them whole. They are fairly dry leaves and do not seem to get stuck together in the freezer. I can easily peel off what I need.

[Amy D.]

I also agree they freeze really well whole - I always just cook straight from frozen - and cook as well as fresh leaves, whereas dried can loose pungancy & the texture in a cooked dish is different/ less desireable to me.

[LuckyGirl]

I too freeze them whole.

[aditech]

Even I do not refrigerate them I keep them for drying and then use it..But the aroma remains the same..

[Jenni]

Hmm..do not like dried curry leaves at all. Most of the flavour seems to go. Far better to freeze if you have to - I get through them too quickly to bother.