Getting to Know Makrut Lime Leaves

Makrut's many uses: Sometimes described as the bay leaf of Southeast Asian cooking, the makrut lime is an essential flavor in Thai cuisine. Makrut lime leaves come from the citrus tree that produces small, wrinkly, green, and very tart fruit. While the fruit's zest can be used in Thai cooking, it is the leaves that are more readily accessible and essential to creating the flavors that fundamentally define Thai cuisine. They are used fresh or dried, though they are rich with natural oils so fresh are preferable when possible. Whole lime leaves are often simmered in dishes, but they can also be sliced, crushed, or ground into granules. Preparing them this way allows the flavor to be fully integrated into the recipe, rather than requiring the leaves to be removed before serving.

Makrut lime contributes distinct citrus and floral flavors, adding brightness and warmth to dishes. The leaves are easily identifiable by their shape: They grow in pairs, joined head-to-tail, and are dark green, leathery and glossy on top, pale green and matte underneath. If not discarding the leaf from a dish once cooked, it’s best to remove the tough rib that runs down the center of the double leaves, then slice or mince the leaf for use in cooking. Or you can simply lay a few leaves on top of your rice as it cooks adding a pleasant aromatic dimension.

Makrut lime leaves go by many names, including kaffir lime leaf, Indonesian lime leaf, wild lime leaf, porcupine orange leaf, or simply ‘lime leaf’. Scottish botanist H.F. Macmillan is credited with popularizing the name kaffir lime in his 1910 book Handbook of Tropical Gardening and Planting. At the time it was a reference to an ethnic group in Sri Lanka who proudly identified themselves as “Kaffirs.” However, since then it has gained ugly connotations in other regions of the world as a racist slur, and is no longer commonly used.