Drying curry leaves and pandan leaves (screw pine leaves) in a convection oven

Dried leaves stored in a bottle

If you do not get fresh curry leaves regularly in your locality, you can preserve them whenever you get them. Even if you get them freely you can store some and use it when you run out of the fresh leaves. Dried leaves release more fragrant than fresh ones.

You can dry the leaves in a dehydrator. I dried them in my regular convection oven.

Curry leaves

                                    Recipe summary
                                              For
      Drying curry leaves and pandan leaves in convection oven.

Preparation time:20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Dried curry leaves stored 
in a bottle

1. Wash and dry the curry leaves. 
2.Pluck the leaves from the stem.
3.Spread on a tray evenly.
4.Set the temperature at 60 °C (140 °F) 
5.Put the tray in.
6.Bake for 25 minutes .
7.Store in an air tight bottle.
8. You can also powder and store     in a bottle.

Pandan Leaf

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Dried pandan leaf 
stored in a bottle

1. Separate the individual leaves from the bunch. 
2. Wash them clean and dry them.

3. Cut the leaves into 3 inch long pieces.

4. Spread them evenly on a baking tray.

5. Set the oven temperature to 60 °C (140 °F).
 Turn the leaves occasionally.

6. Bake for 30 minutes for the pandan leaves to dry.

7. Do not powder them. 
8. Store them in an air tight bottle.

                   Recipe follows in detail with pictures

Curry leaves
Preparation time:20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Wash and dry the leaves. Pluck the leaves from the stem.

Curry leaves being washed

Spread them evenly on a baking tray.

I set the temperature at 60 °C (140 °F) and put the tray in.

Occasionally I stirred the leaves.

It took about 25 minutes. 

Curry leaves are drying in a baking tray

When the leaves are dry, that is when they break easily when you with your fingers you remove the tray from the oven.

Now you can grind the leaves to a powder and store them in a bottle. You can also store the dry leaves in an air tight bottle. I stored them in leaves form because by force of habit, I like to see curry leaves in the curry. Storing powder is much easier than in leaves form.

Finished dry curry leaves

The dry leaves have a stronger flavour. You will need less leaves than fresh ones.

Half teaspoon of powdered curry leaves would be equal to one sprig of fresh leaf.

Drying pandan leaves

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Pandan leaves remove bad odors and drive away insects from your refrigerator, kitchen shelf or your car boot. All you have to do is to leave one whole bunch of leaves where ever you want it and just leave it. They will dry gradually but they will continue to do their duty for at least one or two months. Pandan leaves are most environment friendly insect repellent.

Pandan leave is used to add mild green colour to rice and also to add mild flavour to many dishes. They can be used in sweet and savory  dishes.

Pandan leaves after drying

You can also dry the pandan leaves and store them.

Dried pandan leaf 
stored in a bottle

Separate the individual leaves from the bunch. Was them clean and dry them.

Cut the leaves into 3 inch long pieces.

Spread them evenly on a baking tray.

Set the oven temperature to 60 °C (140 °F). Turn the leaves occasionally.

It took about 30 minutes for the pandan leaves to dry.

Do not powder them. Store them in an air tight bottle.