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    Home » Vegetables » Edible garden recipes

    Published: Feb 21, 2022 · Modified: Mar 2, 2022 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    20 kaffir lime leaf recipes

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    A collection of kaffir lime leaf recipes (also known as makrut lime leaf or limau purut in Singapore) as well as tips on how to choose, store, grow and cook with this essential South East Asian herb.

    A Thai inspired prawn salad with makrut lime leaf
    Prawns are healthy, delicious and quick to cook, making this a perfect dish for summer.
    Jump to:
    • What is it?
    • What does it taste like?
    • Where to buy
    • How to grow
    • How to preserve
    • How to cook
    • Substitutes
    • Tips
    • FAQ
    • Other Asian herb recipes
    • Seafood
    • Chicken
    • Pork, beef & lamb
    • Rice & Noodles
    • Vegetables
    • Desserts and drinks
    • 💬 Comments

    What is it?

    Kaffir lime leaf (scientific name: Citrus hystrix but also known as jelek purut, kabuyaw, kulubot, Kolumichai, mak khi hut, trúc, chanh sác and combava) is a herb that is commonly used in many parts of South East Asia- it is a pretty vital component of Thai cooking, for one, and is also used in Peranakan/ Nyonya cuisine. It has hourglass shaped leaves which are an attractive glossy dark green full of aromatic oils.

    The plant is native to South East Asia and southern China- in Chinese it is 箭叶橙 (jian ye cheng)- although I am not familiar with any Chinese recipes that use it. If you are, please let me know in the comments! Besides culinary purposes, some countries also believe kaffir lime has health benefits and use it in medicine (or to kill head lice!) The essential oil in the leaves are incorporated into some perfumes.

    Which part is edible?

    This herb is grown primarily for its leaves, but its fruit can be used in cooking too! (Be warned, they are very, very sour- I've actually never seen a Singaporean recipe that calls for the use of the kaffir lime themselves although I believe some Thai recipes do utilise them sparingly to provide acidity. The kaffir lime zest is also used in some Thai green curry recipes.)

    If you want to cook with the fruit, it's worth growing the plant at home, as the fruits are not readily available in the supermarkets. They don't have much juice, but their rind/ zest is a nice addition to curries and such. The skin is quite thick, so you can actually use a knife to slice it off, if you don't have a zester. Avoid the white pith as, like with most citrus fruits, it's horribly bitter. (The kaffir lime leaf recipes here all use only the leaf and not the fruit.)

    Kaffir lime leaves are used in some of our favourite Thai dishes such as Tom Yum Soup , Tod Mun (fish cake), green curry paste and Tom Kha Gai as well as in Indonesian and Cambodian food. (I have not included recipes to these dishes, however, as they're such classics that you probably already have a good recipe on hand!)

    Kaffir vs makrut

    Growing up in Singapore, we've always called this herb Kaffir Lime or Limau Purut. (Some people refer to it as Thai lime, as it is so commonly found in Thai cuisine.) It wasn't till this year that I realised the word "kaffir" is offensive in some countries, and so they use the name makrut lime leaves instead. Apologies to anyone who is offended by the word "kaffir" but if I leave it out of this post, very few people in South East Asia will know which plant I am referring to!

    What does it taste like?

    Kaffir lime leaf adds a bright, uplifting note to food, like other citrus flavors, but it is more complex than the typical lime or lemon and has a slightly floral fragrance. Once you've tasted it, it'll be very obvious when you have it again. Be careful not to use too much of this herb as it can overwhelm the other flavours in food.

    Where to buy

    You can buy this herb fresh (always get the fresh leaves if you can), frozen, dried, freeze-dried and powdered. In Asia, the fresh leaves are widely available but in Western countries, you are most likely to find the dried version in mainstream grocery stores. If you don't see them, order online or head to the closest Asian markets or grocery store.

    How to grow


    The plant can grow to a few metres tall but adapts well to the potted life, if the pot is of adequate size. (Mine has a diameter of about 30 cm.) In addition, Kaffir Lime requires:

    • lots of sunlight
    • moist but well-draining soil

    If you don't live in the tropics, keep the plant indoors when it's cold out, near a sunny window and mist regularly as the plant likes humidity (but not wet feet as the roots will rot!) Without a lot of sun, the plant won't die, but it will remain in a state of stasis where it doesn't grow new leaves- mine did for ages till I invested in a grow light (which could only coax 3 new leaves out of it. In contrast, whenever we get a period of very sunny weather in Singapore, my plant condescends to sprout a spring with at least 5 new leaves!)

    It responds well to pruning so pluck the leaves every few weeks to encourage growth. You can also propogate a new Kaffir Lime leaf plant by poking a stem cutting in soil- the stem should be at least 4 inches long, with all the leaves removed except for the top ones. (So they say- I've not achieved any success with this yet, but will update the post appropriately as I attempt more kaffir lime cuttings.)

    How to preserve

    Kaffir Lime leaves can be used fresh, frozen or dried. (Fresh is always best- when I lived in London, I had no choice but to buy the dried version and it wasn't quite the same.)

    It's best to use the young leaves as they are more tender, so if you have a glut of leaves, pluck them and plonk them in your freezer for future use. Alternatively, you can wash them, bruise them and immerse them in water to form a drink, much like lemongrass tea and lemon-infused water.

    If stored in the fridge, toss them when they start developing dark spots. They're usually good for about 2 weeks in the fridge, if you don't let the moisture accumulate.

    How to cook

    You can use kaffir leaves like bay leaves, to infuse flavour into your stews and curries- similarly, remove the leaves before serving as they're tough, unless you're using them as a garnish. They go very well with other common asian ingredients such as shrimp paste, red chilli, fresh coriander etc.

    Alternatively, the leaves can be shredded thinly and then added to your food: roll the leaf up and use a sharp knife to cut very thinly. (This is how they are used in Thai fish cakes. You may also want to remove the central stem of the leaves which is tougher.) In this case, you no longer need to remove the leaves before eating and they make a very pretty garnish or can be added to salads. (Good way to practice your knife skills!)

    As you can probably tell from the cuisines that use Kaffir Lime leaf, it goes very well with other herbs and aromatics such as:

    • ginger
    • galangal
    • chilli
    • shallots
    • lemongrass

    Substitutes

    Kaffir lime leaf shares flavour notes with lemongrass and aromatic citrus fruits, so a combination of lemon grass and lime/lemon juice and zest can be used as a substitute. However, if you're using the substitutes in classic dishes such as Tom Yum Soup, it'll taste a little flat to people who're familiar with the foods, as the flavour isn't quite as complex.

    Tips

    • Bruise the kaffir lime leaves before adding to food to release its natural oils
    • If you're thinking of making a dessert, experiment with tropical flavours such as coconut and papaya.
    • Choose fresh kaffir lime leaves when you can get them- frozen are almost as good. If not, go for the powdered or dried version, which is slightly duller in taste.
    • Add a few washed leaves to your water along with some lemon juice and ice- it makes a very refreshing drink in summer!


    FAQ

    Are kaffir lime leaves edible?

    Yes, however they are very tough. If you want to eat them, use the youngest, most tender leaves you can find and slice them very, very thinly. They make a great garnish in this way. The fruit on the other hand has a lot of seeds and is extremely sour so it's not recommended to eat it!

    Other Asian herb recipes

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    A Thai inspired prawn salad with makrut lime leaf

    Chicken

    Chicken and turmeric baked rice
    This recipe is a a bit like the nasi kuning recipe listed below, but is much easier to make as the rice and protein just go into the oven!
    One pot chicken, turmeric and kaffir leaf rice
    I love one pot meals and I love oven made meals, as they are both such efficient ways to cook. This delicious 1-pan chicken, kaffir leaf and turmeric rice is both 1-pan AND made in the oven, how amazing is that! In addition, it's packed with bucketloads of flavour! (PS One pot soy sauce chicken is the most popular recipe on my site!)
    Click here for a one-pot chicken recipe
    Chicken and turmeric baked rice
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    Thai green curry has been done to death so I thought I'd share this one-pot panang curry recipe instead- only slightly spicy but very flavourful.
    Click here for Panang curry
    Close-up of orange Panang curry.
    Kaffir leaf Chicken curry with rice
    Although we also have curry noodles in Singapore, I still like my curry best with rice!
    Cambodian chicken curry using kaffir lime leaves
    Singaporeans love their chicken curry. Growing up, we ate chicken curry almost weekly! Each South East Asian country seems to have their own version of chicken curry, with subtle differences, and Cambodia is no exception. I should do a post showing all the different chicken curries of the region one day!
    Click here for a Cambodian curry recipe
    Kaffir leaf Chicken curry with rice

    Pork, beef & lamb

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    Beef rendang is 1 of my favourite Malay dishes but it is an exercise in patience as it calls for a long cooking time, which helps the meat to last longer. (It was how beef was preserved in the "good ole days" before refrigeration.) When I want to be healthier and live more sustainably, I replace the beef with young jackfruit or tempeh.
    Click here for beef rendang
    Beef rendang and chillies in a white bowl.
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    Click here for easy beef rendang
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    Indonesian lamb satay
    Originally made with goat, which is not the easiest meat to find. Personally, I much prefer lamb as goat has a very strong smell!
    Click here for the satay recipe
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    Thai Pork and Turkey Berry (Pea Eggplant) with Coconut Milk Curry Recipe
    Inspired by Thai green curry, but without using cilantro roots which can be hard to get outside of Asia, this is an easy and tasty way to cook up your turkey berries.
    Check out this recipe
    Close-up of pork and turkey berry curry with rice.

    Rice & Noodles

    A plate of golden nasi kuning
    The photo shows the side dishes which are commonly served with nasi kuning.
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    Nasi kuning isn't as well known as nasi lemak, which is a shame as it's not only delicious, it looks beautiful thanks to the golden hue. This very authentic recipe uses Salam leaf - Salam leaf is commonly used in Indonesian food and is how you know you've got a good recipe! It also kindly provides a substitute for Salam leaf as Salam leaf may not be widely available in some countries.
    Click here for a nasi kuning recipe
    A plate of golden nasi kuning
    Kaffir Lime Leaves podi (Narthailai podi or rice mix powder)
    Lime leaves podi is a fragrant Indian rice mix powder made with fresh lemon leaves and lentils that is delicious when mixed with hot white rice.
    Click here for lime leaf rice mix
    A moody shot of kaffir lime leaf powder rice mix.

    I love noodles much more than rice- for more Asian noodle recipes, click here.

    A bowl of noodles and lemongrass soup in a white bowl.
    Lemongrass and kaffir lime noodle soup
    As mentioned above, lemongrass and kaffir lime make for a great flavour combination!
    Click here for the noodle soup recipe
    A bowl of noodles and lemongrass soup in a white bowl.
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    A 30-minute recipe that makes a delicious, comforting bowl of soupy noodles.
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    A bowl of Thai glass noodles soup with meatballs.
    Vietnamese chicken noodle salad with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf
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    Click here to learn how to make your own Thai curry paste

    Vegetables

    Asian salad with snake beans, coconut and kaffir lime leaves
    A dressing with the classic Thai combination of lime juice, fish sauce and sugar? Delicious!
    Click here for the salad recipe
    A beautifully plated Thai inspired salad
    Easy vegan Panang curry
    A sweet, salty and nutty 30-minute vegan Thai curry that uses miso (and other ingredients) to substitute for the fish sauce.
    Click here for the panang curry
    Thai panang curry with rice on a plate.

    Desserts and drinks

    A very interesting recipe is this kaffir lime leaf simple syrup. The recipe says it's for cocktails but I'm sure it would work well in desserts too. Stay tuned to see what I end up making with it!

    An upside down cone of kaffir lime leaf custard
    Has anyone had kaffir lime leaf in their dessert before?
    Kaffir Lime Leaf Frozen custard
    Kaffir lime leaf in a dessert isn't something you see everyday, so I had to include this 5-star kaffir lime leaf ice cream recipe!
    Click here for dessert
    An upside down cone of kaffir lime leaf custard

    What is your favourite kaffir lime leaf recipe? Tag me on social media if you make any from this list!

    Before you go, you may like 1 of these Asian recipes:

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    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

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