Is there a more important part of authentic Thai food than kaffir lime leaves? Here at Thai Food Direct, we understand that it is an important part of cooking and want to really share this fabulous ingredient with all of our customers.

Is there a more important part of authentic Thai food than kaffir lime leaves? Here at Thai Food Direct, we understand that it is an important part of cooking and want to really share this fabulous ingredient with all of our customers. No matter whether you’re an absolute beginner or you’ve been cooking Thai food for years, using kaffir lime leaves can take your food from good to great. Here at Thai Food Direct, we’re all about making this as convenient as possible, so we offer a variety of different dried and frozen lime leaves.

What are Kaffir Lime Leaves?

Kaffir lime leaves are the leaves of the kaffir lime plant; also known as the makrut or leech lime. These leaves are fabulously aromatic and are used extensively in Thai, Indonesian, and other Southeast Asian cooking. It produces a delicious lemony taste, that can bring a whole new dimension to your cooking. 

Dried or Frozen Kaffir Lime Leaves?

Although fresh kaffir lime leaves are preferable, we understand that often that just doesn’t suit many people’s lifestyles. It can be particularly tricky to get fresh leaves in the UK as they have to be imported from Thailand and once they have arrived, they can die pretty quickly, which isn’t ideal for most kitchens. The choice between dried and frozen lime leaves can be a tricky one, but in our opinion frozen is better than dried. 

Dried Kaffir leaves don’t retain as much flavour and aroma, although they are still excellently flavourful, so don’t worry if they’re your only option. If you do have to use dried leaves, we would definitely recommend that you crush them before use to release the best possible flavour. Frozen lime leaves can be particularly beneficial because they can keep in the freezer for more than a year before they start to lose their aroma, and even then, they are still safe to use.

What Can you use Frozen Lime Leaves for?

Once you’ve defrosted your frozen lime leaves; they’re so thin they’ll begin to thaw out as soon as you remove them from the freezer, you can use them in a variety of different dishes. They work well alongside other flavours like galangal, lemongrass, chillies, ginger and shallots. This makes it perfect for fish dishes, like a Thai-style haddock in a bag or mussel broth. But their use doesn't stop there. Kaffir leaves are also great for sweet treats and can be infused into sugar syrups for the perfect gin cocktail. If you’re looking to spice up your life with a lovely citrus flavour, then you should definitely give kaffir leaves a try.

Have any Questions?

If you have any questions that you need to ask about our range of frozen lime leaves and what they could be used for, then you can talk to one of our members of staff. You can give us a call on 01462 486491 and email [email protected], as well as through our enquiry form. One of our customer service representatives will be more than happy to help you in any way that they can.