Journal of the American Pomological Society

Photo: David Karp

Makrut lime (Citrus hystrix) is a citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia, commonly referred to as Thai lime or, historically, kaffir lime. Many scholars and food writers now avoid the term kaffir because it carries derogatory connotations in certain regions. Wongpornchai (2012) suggests the fruit may have originally been given that name because it was considered smaller or less desirable than other lime varieties. In practice, though, its culinary value and its importance in producing fragrant essential oils far exceed that reputation.

Makrut lime is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, valued for the intense citrus aroma that comes from both its fruit and its leaves. Citrus hystrix grows as a small, thorny evergreen tree or shrub, recognizable by its distinctive double leaves. The fruits are compact, round, and covered in a rough, bumpy rind. Because the juice vesicles yield very little liquid—and what they do produce is extremely acidic—the rind, rather than the juice, is the part typically used in cooking. In the United States, the tree is most commonly grown in tropical or consistently warm regions.

Wongpornchai S. 2012. 16 - Kaffir lime leaf. In KV Peter (Ed.), Handbook of Herbs and Spices (Second Edition) (pp. 319–328). Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857095688.319.