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sweet neem

Posted by tazetta z4ny (My Page) on
Sun, May 29, 05 at 21:19

i have read the exchanges on this subject but cannot get it straight.
1)is sweet neem synonymous with meetha neem, mentioned (usually as optional) in indian cooking?
2) is the source of sweet neem azadirachta siamensis?
3) is sweet neem=meetha neem=curry leaves?
4) curry leaves in indian recipes are NOT from the curry plant, helichrysum italicum?
please enlighten.
tazetta.


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: sweet neem

I can't answer your questions with certainty, but may be able to throw some light on the subject.

The Indian curry leaf is definitely NOT a Helichrysum. I am reasonably certain it is always Murraya koenigii.

Meetha/mitha neem is one of the many Indian names for Murraya koenigii - see: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/parmar/12.html

'Sweet neem' is a name sometimes used for Murraya koenigii.

But a Google search indicates that 'Sweet neem' is also used for Azadirachta indica var. siamensis (= A. siamensis), an unrelated, larger tree though with superficially similar foliage and flower-buds. In Thailand you often see bunches of the tender young leaves and buds sold in vegetable markets and I gather it is popular as a medicinal herb, though the taste is fairly bitter. Its Thai name is sa dao. I don't know about its uses or names in other Asian cultures.

An additional note: recent botanical evidence shows that M. koenigii is not closely related to the other Murrayas, typified by the well known ornamental M. paniculata -- so it was concluded that it should belong in the separate genus Bergera, as B. koenigii.


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RE: sweet neem

  • Posted by chaman U S east coast (My Page) on
    Mon, May 30, 05 at 22:06

TonyfromOz had answered correctly.


 
 

 

 


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