Indian bay leaf

Indian bay leaf consists of the dried aromatic foliage of Cinnamomum tamala, an evergreen tree in the laurel family Lauraceae.

The spice is commercially harvested and sold primarily in its whole dried state and in Indian cooking is almost always used as whole intact leaves rather than crushed or ground.

Tej patta releases a distinct clove- and cinnamon-like fragrance with faint peppery notes when bloomed in warm fat or simmered in broth. The leaves lend a warm, intensely aromatic, sweet scent that gives curries and rice a delicate background note.

Use whole leaves in biryani, pulao and rich meat or paneer gravies; in Bengali cooking tejpata is standard in the tempering for kosha mangsho and cholar dal.

Fry the whole leaf briefly in hot oil or ghee during the initial tadka, or add it at the start so it can steadily infuse long-simmering curries, gravies and rice preparations.

The tree is native to the tropical and subtropical Himalayas and the northeastern regions of the Indian subcontinent. These Himalayan and northeast tracts are where the leaves have long been collected for cooking.