Kaffir lime leaves

I found a packet at Whole Foods, so I bought it! 2 questions:
Ideas, recipes that I can use them for?
Can I freeze them to use later?

Posted by: creamtea
February 27, 2013

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10 Comments

10 Comments

sel E. February 28, 2013

Try putting them in peanut sauce for Gado-gado (Indonesian salad)

sel E. February 28, 2013

I find that they dry out quite fast in the fridge and thus become tasteless. I have kept them in the freezer but after a week, they lost their distinctive smell. My best bet is to buy them in small quantities next time or .. grow your own plant. Oh btw, they are a match made in heaven with ground peanuts.

mainecook61 February 28, 2013

Or grow them. I'm mostly an outdoor gardener, but I have a kaffir lime tree in a large pot indoors (in Maine) and it does quite nicely. It will supply you with more leaves than you will ever use, and it is not nearly as fussy as a potted citrus like the Meyer lemon that is its next door inside neighbor. Careful (not over) watering and some misting and fish emulsion are all you need.

Panfusine February 28, 2013

Freeze them.. or shade dry them

creamtea February 27, 2013

Thanks, HalfPint, hardlikearmour and AJ. Can't wait to try them out in all these ways.

AntoniaJames February 27, 2013

Also essential in homemade Thai curry pastes . . . . and they're magical in a broth made with lemongrass, galangal, crushed coriander seeds, a few peppercorns, a couple handfuls of coarsely chopped cilantro stems and a few cloves of crushed garlic. ;o)

creamtea February 28, 2013

Thanks AJ. Do you mean a chicken-based broth or a simple one with just those ingredients?

AntoniaJames February 28, 2013

creamtea, you could put those ingredients into a plain chicken stock if you wanted, but lately (since I started making 18 out of every 21 meals vegan) have just been putting those ingredients into a big pot with filtered water. I notice that I left out another ingredient that invariably finds its way into this stock: the dark green top parts of scallions, which I save in the fridge for this purpose. We always have extra, it seems. A small regular onion or a few shallots could be used instead. ;o)

hardlikearmour February 27, 2013

Oh! Save some for summer and make this: http://food52.com/recipes/13701-thai-creamed-corn

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HalfPint February 27, 2013

yes you can freeze them. i do.

ideas for use:
any Thai soup or curry will benefit from a few leaves. think of them as like bay leaves, but much more fragrant.
Infuse in sugar syrup for drinks or baked sweets.
Steep in vodka and use in mixed cocktails like a mojito.
Add to brewed tea.

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Kaffir lime leaves

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