Kaffir Lime leaves
I have this Kaffir Lime tree in my garden for about a year now. I bought it from a nursery when it was only about 6 inch high. It is almost five feet tall now except I have to prune it so it would stay dwarf. I would gather the leaves for my Thai cooking and the rest I put in the freezer for future use. It last long in the refrigerator but longer in the freezer.
The leaves have a very pleasant smell that makes your Thai recipe an authentic one. I like the shape of the leaves which is really an identifying factor of the Kaffir lime. It has like an hour-glass shape which makes it different from other citrus trees.
It’s good to use in Tom Yum Soup, a spicy Thai soup with hot peppers and lemon grass. I use it in our sour soup called “sinigang”. Tamarind is the souring agent in the soup and the main ingredient can be pork, beef, fish or shrimp. Unchoi or Kangkong is the vegetable to use with it.
I do not expect for the tree to bear fruit anytime soon but it’s okay, the leaves are more important for my cooking. Watch out for the thorns, they’re quite dangerous, although in the Philippines, we used the thorns for picking the snails from the shells.