Kaffir Lime

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Kaffir Lime

Citrus hystrix, C. papedia
Leprous lime: amblycarpa
Fam Rutaceae

The leaves of this member of the citrus family are responsible for the distinctive lime-lemon aroma and flavour that are an indispensable part of Thai and, to a lesser extent, Indonesian cooking.

Spice Description
The leaves of the kaffir lime tree are a dark green color with a glossy sheen. They come in two parts: the top leaflet is lightly pointed at its tip and is attached to another leaflet beneath that is broader on its upper edge. The size of the leaves can vary quite a bit, from less than an inch to several inches long.

The fruit is dark green and round, with a distinct nipple on the stem end. It has a thick rind, knobby and wrinkled, and one of its common names is 'porcupine orange'. As the fruit becomes older, the color fades to a lighter, yellowish green. Though the juice is infrequently use in cooking, the zest of the rind is often used for making curry pastes.

Bouquet: The leaves and rind have a perfume unlike any other citrus, sometimes called mysterious or haunting. There is a combined lemon/lime/madarin aroma but clearly an identity of its own.
Flavour: same as bouquet.
Hotness Scale: 1

Where to Buy Fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves on the Internet
For online purchases we recommend buying through one of the reputable dealers associated with Amazon using their secure online ordering system and backed by their trusted return policy. You'll find very competitive pricing. Buy fresh lime leaves and other Thai ingredients here.

Culinary Uses
Kaffir lime leaves are precious to many Thai dishes, from soups and salads to curries and stir-fried dishes. They blend blend with lemon grass and lime juice in tom yam to give the soup its wholesome lemony essence. In soupy dishes, add the leaves whole or torn into smaller pieces, using them as one would bay leaves to flavour broth or stew.

Salads or garnishes require fresh leaves. Dried leaves cannot be substituted. The leaves, when young and tender, are finely shredded and added to salads and sprinkled over curries for a burst of flavour. Being rather thick, they must be cut very fine, like threads, and the thick mid-rib removed. To sliver kaffir lime leaves finely, stack three to four leaves of similar size together and slice them very thinly with a sharp knife. It is faster to cut diagonally , which gives the hands better leverage, or roll a few leaves at a time into a tight roll before slicing. If fresh kaffir lime leaves are not available, use the tender new leaves of lime, lemon or grapefruit. They won't have the same fragrance but are preferable to using dried kaffir lime leaves in some dishes.

When making a soup or stock, whole fresh or dried leaves may be added, as they are removed after cooking. Finely chopped fresh or crumbled dry kaffir lime leaves are used in dishes like tom yum, strir fries and curries, especially those containing coconut cream. The flavour also combines well with basil, cardamom, chiles, cilantro, cumin, curry leaves, lemon grass, galangal, ginger, mint, tamarind, turmeric and coconut milk.

Though the juice is seldom used in cooking, the peel of the fruit, with its high concentration of aromatic oils, is indispensable in many curry pastes and is one reason why Thai curries taste refreshingly unique. The zest also imparts a wonderful piquant flavour to such delectable favorites as fried fish cakes, and it blends in powerfully with such spicy, chile-laden stews as "jungle soup" (gkaeng bpah). Because it's strong flavour can over power the more subtle ones in a dish, the rind should be used sparingly, grated or chopped finely and reduced in a mortar with other paste ingredients until indistinguishable..

Storage
The leaves may be recognized by their distinctive two sections. For simmering in soups or curries the leaves are used whole. Frozen or dried leaves may be used for simmering if fresh leaves are not available. The finely grated rind of the lumpy-skinned fruit has its own special fragrance. If you can obtain fresh kaffir limes, they freeze well enclosed in freezer bags and will keep indefinitely in that state. Just grate a little rind off the frozen lime and replace lime in freezer until next required. The leaves freeze well too. dried kaffir lime leaves should be green, not yellow, and are best kept under the same conditions as other dried herbs. They will keep for about 12 months in an airtight pack, out of light, heat and humidity.

Attributed Medicinal Properties
The citrus juice used to be included in Thai ointments and shampoos, and in tonics in Malaysia. Kaffir lime shampoo leaves the hair squeaky clean and invigorates the scalp. Kaffir lime has also been used for ages as a natural bleach to remove tough stains.

The essential oils in the fruit are incorporated into various ointments, and the rind is an ingredient in medical tonics believed to be good for the blood. Like lemon grass and galangal, the rind is also known to have beneficial properties for the digestive system.

In folk medicine, the juice of kaffir lime is said to promote gum health and is recommended for use in brushing teeth and gums. It is believed to freshen one's mental outlook and ward off evil spirits

Other Names
Kieffer lime, Thai lime, wild lime
Burmese: shauk-nu
Indonesian: jerk purut, jeruk sambal
Malay: duan limau purut
Philippino: swangi
Thai: makrut, som makrut

Recipes

Lime and Coconut Shrimp with Red Curry Sauce

The flavourful batter gets its kick from kaffir lime leaves, curry paste, and ginger ale.

Ingredients
Curry Sauce
1 13.5- to 14.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk*
12 whole green cardamom pods, crushed
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves (3 double leaves)**
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste*
2 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)*

Kaffir Lime Batter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons minced kaffir lime leaves (3 to 4 double leaves)**
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste*
1 teaspoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (or more) ice-cold ginger ale

Shrimp
6 cups (about) peanut oil
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
18 uncooked large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled, deveined, butterflied, tails left intact

Fresh cilantro sprigs
Kaffir lime leaves**

Prepartaion
For curry sauce:
Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking to blend. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cover and let sauce stand at room temperature 10 minutes for flavours to blend. Strain. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)

For kaffir lime batter:
Using on/off turns, mix flour and next 5 ingredients in processor until blended. Transfer flour mixture to medium metal bowl. Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup ginger ale. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Add more ginger ale by tablespoonfuls if batter thickens.)

For shrimp:
Add enough oil to heavy large saucepan to measure 1 1/2 inches deep. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan (do not allow tip to touch bottom of pan). Heat oil to 370°F to 380°F. Place cornstarch in shallow bowl. Place coconut in medium bowl. Lightly dredge shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off excess. Working in batches, dip shrimp in batter to coat lightly, allowing excess batter to drip off. Dredge shrimp in coconut. Fry shrimp until cooked through and coconut is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Divide warm sauce among 6 plates. Stand 3 shrimp back-to-back on each plate. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime leaves and serve.

Makes 6 first-course servings.

Tom Yum Koong Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
12 mushrooms, halved
1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
4 cups water
2 lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves
4 slices galangal
4 chile padi (bird's eye chiles)
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon hot chile paste
1 tablespoon tom yum soup paste (optional)

Directions:
1 Trim lemongrass and cut into matchstick size pieces.
2 To make stock: Add the shrimp heads and shells to water, then cook for 20 minutes. Turn the fire off. Soak the heads and shells for further 20 minutes before discarding.
3 Trim lemongrass and cut into matchstick size pieces.
4 Add stock, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chili padi, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste to a pot and bring to a boil. After boiling for 5 minutes, add shrimps and both mushrooms. Cook for further 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Green Curry Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in 8 wedges
1 green bell pepper, cut in 8 wedges
1 stalk lemongrass, white bulb only
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, recipe follows
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk, 2 (13.5 ounce) cans
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch strips
Sea salt
1 lime, juiced
Fresh Thai basil leaves
Fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions:
Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. Saute the onion and green peppers for 3 minutes to soften. Split the piece of lemongrass down the middle and whack it with the flat side of a knife to open the flavour. Add the lemongrass, ginger, curry paste and lime leaves to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Lay the chicken pieces in the mixture to poach; add a pinch of salt. Stir together and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze in the lime juice and shower with basil and cilantro; serve in dinner bowls with lime wedges.

Thai Green Curry Paste:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
8 fresh Thai green chiles
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
Small handful of fresh cilantro sprigs
2-inch piece galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 lemon grass stalks, white part only, coarsely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Heat the coriander, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a small dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant. Put the seeds in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill and buzz the spices to a powder.

Put the spice blend and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine. Pour in the water to help grind everything down into a paste.Yield: 1 1/2 cups