KAFFIR LIME LEAVES 101: What You Need to Know

Kaffir lime, also known as “makrut lime” is one of the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine. But most of the time we only use the leaves rather than the fruit. In this video I talk about everything you need to know to start cooking with kaffir lime leaves. I talk about what it is, how to use, how to store, and how to substitute.

What about kaffir lime fruit?

From the fruit, we only use the zest, which as you can see in the video is quite thick so you can just use a knife to slice off the green part and you don’t have to bother with the zester. When zesting kaffir limes try your best not to get the white pith because it’s bitter.

As for the flesh on the inside, kaffir limes have a ton of seeds and do not have very much juice at all, so we never really use it in cooking. If you have the fruit, and you can coax out some juice out of it, you can use it to add acidity to your dish, but it is very sour so use sparingly!

For more videos on other Thai ingredients

Check out my Thai Ingredient Playlist where I have informational videos about the most important ingredients in Thai cuisine.

Recipes with Kaffir Lime Leaves

Want to start cooking with kaffir lime leaves? Here are some recipes that use them in various different ways:

Simmering: Tom Ka Gai – Coconut Chicken Soup

Toasting: Laab Gai – Northeastern Ground Chicken Salad 

Stir-frying and julienned: Panang Curry