Dried makrut lime leaves keep some of the fresh leaf's floral lime scent but lose its brightness. They are a fallback for long-cooked curries and soups; frozen leaves are much closer to fresh.
Dried or fresh?¶
Makrut lime leaves lose much of their bright, floral lime aroma when dried. What is left is pleasant but duller and more tea-like, and the dried leaves are brittle. They do an adequate job in a curry or soup that simmers for a while, where the leaf is infused and taken out, but not in the dishes where the leaf is shredded raw and eaten.
If you can find fresh leaves, buy a packet and freeze it. Frozen leaves are far closer to fresh than dried, keep for months, and can be used straight from the freezer; see freezing-herbs. Keep dried leaves for when neither is available. See makrut-lime-leaves for the fresh herb.
In the kitchen¶
- Curries. Crumble a few dried leaves into a Thai green or red curry as it simmers; see thai-green-curry-paste and thai-red-curry-paste.
- Soups. In tom yum or tom kha, add them with the lemongrass and galangal. Fresh or frozen leaves are much better here, as the aroma is the point of the dish.
- Stocks and braises. With lemongrass and ginger in a stock or a slow-cooked pork or chicken dish.
- Rehydrating. Soaking dried leaves in warm water for 10–15 minutes softens them a little, but it does not bring back the fresh aroma.
Take the pieces out before serving, or warn people: they stay tough. Dried leaves are no good shredded for fish cakes, salads or garnishes.
How much to use¶
Use about half as many again as fresh: six dried leaves where a recipe says four fresh. For a curry serving four, four to six dried leaves, torn or crumbled. Ground makrut lime leaf, where you can find it, is concentrated; start with ¼ teaspoon.
Buying and storing¶
Keep dried leaves in an airtight jar away from light and use them within about six months, as they fade faster than woody herbs. They should still be green and smell of lime when crushed; brown, scentless leaves are not worth using. See thai-cuisine for more on the herbs of Thai cooking, and drying-herbs if you have a tree.