Kaffir lime leaves = Fruit Loops?

[jillkehler]

Anyone else notice that kaffir lime leaves smell IDENTICAL to Fruit Loops cereal? I wonder if there's a way to make a mock breakfast cereal with them, infusing cornflour with them perhaps? Or making "Fruit Loop cupcakes" or cookies or something?

[zitronenmadchen]

I'm so glad you said that! I thought they tasted familiar, and now that I think about it, it's totally fruit loops!

[patricium]

I'm more interested in the opposite substitution, since I can hardly ever get lime leaves around here. You think throwing a handful of Loops into my Thai soup recipes would work out? ;-)

[jillkehler]

have you tried looking at little Asian grocery stores? that's where i found mine, in one of the freezers :)
or you could try ordering online?
life's too short to live it without kaffir lime leaves!!!

[zamorski]

You can also find freeze-dried lime leaves in some Asian grocery stores, as well as online (I presume). They are not bad at all, though fresh or frozen are better.

[nattythecook]

Grow the kaffir lime yourself, that's what I did. When it gets cold, bring it inside. You can get them at many nurseries and DIY stores. Mine are beginning to fruit now. Thinking curry pastes next.

[RavaIdli]

What a great idea. Do you use the fruit as well as the leaves?

[nattythecook]

The leaves go into curries, salads and soups. The zest of the kaffir lime goes into curry pastes. The juice is use in Thai cooking but rarely. You can wash your hair with the juice.

Last year, I had a few small limes, enough for curry paste. This year, I hope they will be bigger since I added some compost.

[jillkehler]

what is the juice like? does it come from the fruit or is it pressed from the leaves, and would it have the same "fruit loop" taste i wonder? that would be EXCELLENT for a dessert dish. can you buy it already in juice form?

[nattythecook]

The juice is similar to lime juice. It comes from the fruit.. You would squeeze it the same way you would with lemon. I use the whole fruit (halved) in my Thai water spinach curry. I have not tried making dessert with it.

In Thai cuisine, kaffir lime is used in savory dishes, so I tend to think of them as savory. It would be interesting to try to make something similar to key lime pie or lemon meringue pie.

I have not seen it in juice form. The fresh fruits are hard to come by too. But if you live in LA, you're in luck, many Thai markets have them.

[zamorski]

The kaffir lime juice is quite bitter--use it cautiously. I had a sorbet experience go awry once...managed to salvage it by expanding the recipe with some sour orange juice and more sugar.