Tag: Kaffir Lime

Tom Yum Seafood Soup with Kaffir Lime

Tom Yum Seafood Soup with Kaffir Lime

As I was growing up in Thailand, kaffir limes were a common sight. Not so much here in the U.S. So imagine my surprise when I get a call from Charles, the excitement in his voice palpable, extolling that our little organic food store in Salem, Lifesource Foods, had kaffir limes and did I want any? Are you kidding? Yes! My family has gone to great lengths to make sure that wherever we’ve lived — Texas, Maryland, Oregon — we’ve always had a kaffir lime plant. Usually, Mom has to scour her friends in Houston and bring a live plant back on the plane after one of her annual visits there. Sometimes, we beg to have plants sent to us via FedEx. The fruit doesn’t contain much juice, but in Thai cooking, the rind and the entire fruit are used to impart their bright, clean, citrus flavor and aroma. The most common dishes that use kaffir lime rind or leaves are Tom Yum soup and Tom Kha soup.

December 5, 2010 | 0 Comments More
Red Curry with Kaffir Lime Leaves Brings Back Memories of Steamy Bangkok

Red Curry with Kaffir Lime Leaves Brings Back Memories of Steamy Bangkok

One of my favorite stir-fry dishes that incorporates kaffir lime leaves is Pad Prig King, usually pork or chicken stir fried with fiery red curry paste, yardlong beans or green beans, and very thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves. When I lived in Thailand as a child, I remember roaming the markets with Mom and getting to the area where food vendors congregated. I could always tell which vendor had Pad Prig King from the intense aroma of curry and the pungent kaffir lime leaves. For some reason, I always connect this dish with Thai monks, perhaps because the color of the finished dish reminds me of their bright saffron robes.

June 21, 2010 | 2 Comments More