Black limes, sometimes known as dried limes or black lemons, are popular ingredients in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine. They give stews, tagines, and other meals a sour and salty flavour.
The adaptability of black lime, which obtains its dark, dried appearance from being sun-dried until the hue turns black, makes the fruit a great addition to any cook’s arsenal.
What Is a Black Lime?
Black lime is a lime that has been blanched in a saline brine and then sun-dried until the flesh and peel have gone black and hardened.
The drying process intensifies the natural flavours and fragrances of the lime, making black limes a potent and tasty addition to a variety of cuisines.
Oman, a country in the far south of Iran bordering the Arabian Sea, produces black limes. Although black limes are simple to make at home, they are more commonly found in specialist stores.
What Do Black Limes Taste Like?
With a strong citrus scent, their flavour is acidic, slightly sweet, and slightly bitter. Black limes give depth and richness to recipes when cooked, and are frequently used to add a sour and somewhat salty flavour to stews, rice dishes, and soups.
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How Do You Cook With Black Limes?
Black limes are frequently used in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, particularly in dishes like tagines and stews. They can be used whole or ground.
They are frequently added to the cooking liquid to give the food a salty and tart flavour, and they are taken out just before serving. Black limes can also be made into lime salt, a seasoning used to season food, or used as a garnish.
They give stews and braises a lovely acidic depth and flavour when used whole in cooking, like in our recipe for Chicken with Black Limes, or they can be perforated and used to infuse liquids like broth or water. They can also be used to prepare “limonene,” a popular Middle Eastern beverage produced by combining rehydrated black limes with water, sugar, and ice.
As a flavouring for meats, poultry, and fish, black limes are frequently pounded into a powder. To give sauces, dressings, and marinades a tart, zesty flavour, the powder can also be used.
Black limes can be used in a variety of culinary applications and are also quite nutrient-dense. They are thought to provide a number of health advantages, including assisting with digestion and boosting the immune system.
They are a rich source of vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Black limes are an ingredient that can offer sour depth and complexity to your cooking, regardless of how you use them.