Kaffir Lime

 

 

Kaffir limes are fruits belonging to the citrus family whose trees grow natively in the tropics of Southeast Asia and Southern China. They have a unique, bumpy pattern on their skin which looks a little bit like the folds of the brain! Kaffir lime plants are most often used for their leaves which can be used fresh or dried to add flavour to Southeastern cuisine. Kaffir lime leaves are known to be the most aromatic of all herbs and add an extremely unique and distinctive flavour to many different dishes. They are used predominately in Thai, Lao and Cambodian cuisine in soups, curry pastes and stir fries. While less common, the zest and rind of kaffir limes are used in some Southeastern dishes and in Cambodia, they even candy the entire fruit to enjoy as a treat. Kaffir lime plants are also used for many non-culinary purposes. In particular, the juice of kaffir limes is used in a number of different body, aromatic and cleaning products, as the fruit can be tough and difficult to eat (unless you candy it like in Cambodia!). Kaffir limes are used in household cleaning products in Thailand as the juice is known to have antibacterial properties. Kaffir lime juice is also used commonly in Thailand as a therapeutic hair rinse to prevent hair loss. Kaffir limes are a great addition to your garden and they can be grown in well drained soil or in a pot. Being native to Southeast Asia, they need lots of sun and only mildly cold winters, but are pretty resilient once they begin to fruit. Use the leaves to add flavour to a Thai soup (just don’t forget to take it out like a bay leaf before you eat!) When kaffir limes are in season, we use them in our Kaffir Lime Posset and Kaffir Lime Parfait on our farm menu.