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The Kaffir Lime tree grows 9 to 18 feet tall (3 to 5 metres).
It produces small fruit. The bumpy, wrinkled skin is green changing to yellowish-green when fully mature. It has a stubby neck. Inside, the fruit is lime-green.
The juice of these limes is not really used, except in Indonesian cooking. What's used are the zest of the peel and the very fragrant leaves from the trees. The leaves are a dark, glossy green and look like two leaves stuck together tip to tip; they are often described as being "double-lobed" or "double-leaves". Each separate leaf is about 2 inches long (5 cm). They are harvested by hand from thorny branches.
The leaves impart both a citrus flavour and aroma. They are used a lot in Thai green curries.
You can buy Kaffir Lime Leaves fresh, frozen or freeze-dried. Dried ones are sometimes referred to as "granules", but that just means chopped and dried in this instance.
Whole Kaffir Limes are also sold pickled in brine in bottles. You use the rind. Dried rind is also available, but it's not that good because they leave the white pith on it. You're better just to use regular lime zest if you don't have a fresh Kaffir Lime to zest.
Cooking Tips
When zesting, avoid the bitter white pith just under the skin.
In recipes, count each joined leaf as two leaves.
The fresh leaves can be used in salads to be eaten. Used like this, they are finely shredded with the tough rib in the middle being discarded. Don't use dried or leaves that have been frozen in a salad. When used in dishes that are simmered, you can just put them in whole. You're not meant to eat them afterwards, just discard before serving, or tell guests to leave them at the side of their plates. You can take a little nibble to taste it, it won't hurt you, but a whole leaf will have you chewing away for a while.
When using dried Kaffir Lime Leaves, use twice as many to compensate for the loss of flavour in the drying. Rehydrate them first in warm water before using, or grind them up with a mortar and pestle.
Substitutes
Lime zest
Equivalents
1 tablespoon Kaffir Lime zest or regular lime zest or lemon zest = 3 double-leaves = 6 leaves
1 teaspoon of Kaffir Lime zest = 8g = the zest from approximately 1/4 of a Kaffir Lime
Storage
To freeze the leaves, spread them out on a plate, freeze for a few hours, then collect, bag and freeze. The frozen ones don't look as glossy when thawed, but retain most of the flavour and the aroma.
You can freeze whole Kaffir Limes in freezing bags for zesting. Just take out a frozen lime, zip off as much zest as you need, rebag and refreeze. They are easier to zest, too, when frozen.
History
Native to and grown in Southeast Asia.
Also called:  Daun jeruk nipis
Djeruk purut
Ichang Lime
Makrut Citrus amblycarpa, Citrus hystrix, Citrus papedia (Scientific Name) Combava, Limettier hérissé (French) Indische Zitronenblätter, Indonesische Zitronenblätter, Kaffernlimette, Kaffirlimette, Kaffirzitrone (German) Foglie a tazza (Italian)
Other entries for Limes
Bearss Limes, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Key Limes, Lime Juice, Limes, Persian Limes, Rangpur Limes
Other entries for Citrus Fruit
Buddha's Hands Citron, Citron, Grapefruit, Kumquats, Lemons, Limau, Oranges, Pineapples, Pummelo, Tangelos, Yuzu, Zest
Other entries for Hard Fruit
Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Chayote, Guava Fruit, Kiwis, Mangos, Maypop Fruit, Medlars, Melons, Nectarines, Papaya, Passion Fruit, Peaches, Pears, Persimmons, Plums, Pomegranates, Quinces, Red Sorrel, Rose Hips, Sapote, Star Fruit, True Service Fruit
Other entries for Fruit
Bananas, Bletting, Candied Fruit, Dried Fruit, Drupes, Olives, Rhubarb, Soft Fruit
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