Combava leaf

How to use kaffir lime leaves in your cooking?

Kaffir lime, a citrus fruit widely popular in Asia, particularly in Thai, Reunionese, and Malaysian cuisines, not only offers delicious flavors through its fruit but also its leaves. Whether used as an infusion, dried, or in pieces, kaffir lime leaves bring freshness and zest to your dishes.

Some suggestions for using kaffir lime leaves:

Kaffir lime leaves are extensively used in Asian cuisine to flavor rice dishes, stir-fried meats, or seafood. They work wonders when accompanied by a curry sauce, jasmine rice, spicy soup, or Thai chicken noodle soup.

Their lemongrass and citrus aromas enhance tomato-based rougail, stews, or Asian-inspired dishes. When combined with your traditional bouquet garni, kaffir lime leaves add a spicy touch to simmered dishes.

Use them whole when simmering your dishes (soups, sauces, etc.) or crushed when creating marinades for fish or poultry.

Here are some recipe ideas to use kaffir lime leaves:

• - Thai soup with kaffir lime leaves: Add 6 kaffir lime leaves to the broth while the chicken pieces simmer, and let it cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
• - Kaffir lime coconut chicken: After pouring the coconut milk into the mixture, add 10 kaffir lime leaves and let it simmer for 40 minutes on low heat.
• - Lemonade with kaffir lime: After boiling the lemon juice with sugar, remove it from the heat and infuse 3 kaffir lime leaves for a minimum of 1 hour.
• - Kaffir lime leaves ravioli and broth: Add 10 kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass stalks to the broth, then add the ravioli when the water simmers.
• - Sausage rougail with kaffir lime leaves: In the casserole containing the sausage pieces, add 2-3 kaffir lime leaves and let it simmer before adding tomatoes and water.

Discover the subtle aromas of kaffir lime leaves

Kaffir lime leaves have slightly milder flavors compared to kaffir lime powder. They offer an intense and refreshing fragrance, revealing notes of lime, verbena, and cinnamon.

With its fruity flavor and a touch of bitterness, combined with its freshness, kaffir lime leaves provide a delightful sensation in the mouth.

Kaffir lime leaves (or combava) and its botany

Kaffir lime leaves or "thorny lemon tree"

The kaffir lime is a beautiful small citrus fruit with bumps, belonging to the Rutaceae family like other citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, or grapefruit. The tree on which it grows is also called kaffir lime and offers these flavorful leaves. This tree, whose botanical name is Citrus hystrix, is native to Southeast Asia.

It was called "thorny lemon tree" by the botanist Augustin de Candolle or "combava lemon tree from the Moluccas" according to Pierre Poivre. It is also known as "Kaffir lime" in the south of the Indian Ocean and, to make things a little more complicated, as "Makrut" in Thailand.

How do kaffir lime leaves grow?

The kaffir lime, from which the fruit and leaves are derived, can reach up to 3 meters in height. This tree enjoys warmth and does not tolerate cold. Its leaves are harvested by hand and then dried in the sun.

Tracing the origins of kaffir lime leaves

Kaffir lime and its origins

Kaffir lime or combava is native to Indonesia, in the Sunda Islands archipelago. It was introduced by Pierre Poivre at the end of the 18th century in the Indian Ocean. It owes its name to the island of Sumbawa.

It was only in the 19th century that kaffir lime was introduced to Europe. Now, kaffir lime is known to the general public and is a prized ingredient of top chefs.