The Care, Keeping, & Cooking of Kaffir Lime Leaves

Not sure how exactly to cook with kaffir lime leaves? Need to know how you should store these leaves to keep them fresh? This is the article for you!

The kaffir lime (also known as the Thai lime or kaffir lime) is a type of citrus fruit that's indigenous to areas of Southeast Asia. It has many different uses: as a cleaning product, essential oil, and even traditional medicine. Its most well-known use, however, is its prominent presence in Southeast Asian cuisine.

The kaffir lime is featured in Cambodian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Malaysian, South Indian, and of course, Thai cooking. It offers a striking citrus flavor with the ability to add vibrancy and a touch of zing to any dish.

Kaffir lime leaves are the most widely used part of the fruit. They can be used fresh or dried. Below, we'll list some tips on how to store and care for kaffir lime leaves, and how to use them in your cooking for some truly delicious dishes.

How to Store Kaffir Lime Leaves

There are different ways that you can store these zesty leaves, depending on which state you've purchased them in. For those living outside of areas where they're grown, it might be more likely to find them in dried form.

If you've gotten your hands on the fresh variety congratulations: you're in for a whole lot of flavor. Fresh kaffir lime leaves are bursting with beautiful natural oils, which is one of the secrets of their amazing taste. Fresh leaves will have retained much more of these oils than the dried variety.

In order to lock in all of these magical oils, it's best to freeze fresh kaffir lime leaves. Keep them in the freezer in an airtight bag or container for up to three months, and they should taste practically as fresh and vibrant as the day they were picked.

If you've managed to find dried kaffir lime leaves, these may pack slightly less of a punch in terms of flavor, but they'll still have no trouble brightening up any dish you use them in.

Since these leaves have been dehydrated, there's no benefit to storing them in the freezer. Instead, just store them in a cool, dark place in an airtight bag or container. These should last upwards of a year, a good—if less flavorful—solution if you can't find fresh leaves where you shop.

How to Use Kaffir Lime Leaves

Depending on the dish, you may want to use kaffir lime leaves in different ways. If you're making a soup or curry, you can pop a whole one (or two) in while it's cooking, as you would with a bay leaf. If using frozen lime leaves, there's no need to defrost.

You can also cut or chop up kaffir lime leaves so that they are in fine strips or small granules, and then sprinkle them on top of your favorite dish for extra flavor. If you make or buy powdered kaffir lime leaves, they're great for tossing on top of nuts for a zesty snack.

Explore the Magic of Kaffir Lime Today

If this post has got your taste buds all fired up, then why not order some kaffir lime leaves today? They're packed fresh and delivered to your door from South Texas, USDA certified, and bursting with amazing flavor!