Mummified fruit is usually the last thing you want to see when you open up your pantry, but dried limes challenge those notions of common food storage. Hard as walnut shells, sometimes black as ink and other times a dusty grey, these oversized marbles conceal a world of flavor inside that forbidding exterior.

What Are Dried Limes?

Dried limes, sometimes called “dried lemons,” are better known as limu amani or noomi basra due to their Iranian and Iraqi origins. An essential ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking, somehow they’ve failed to make the leap overseas to widespread popularity. A positive buzz is growing in large part thanks to one Yotam Ottolenghi ceaseless singing their praises, which means they’re slowly infiltrating specialty markets and boutique grocery stores abroad. Thankfully, we have the internet to fill the gaps, where you can readily purchase both whole and powdered dried limes.

Simply sun-dried until bereft of any moisture, they’re effectively preserved like any other whole spices. To use them, simply toss them into soups or stews whole, then fish them out like spent bay leaves when you’re done cooking. Powdered, they can be blended into other spice mixtures, such as Baharat.

What Do Dried Limes Taste Like?

Everyone knows what a fresh lime tastes like; tart, tangy, fruit, and sightly floral, with just a slight hint of sweetness. Now, take that and remove the sweetness, substituting a more earthy, funky, sometimes smoky flavor, along with a stronger acidic bite like sour candies, and you’ll understand the essence of dried limes. The longer they’re stewed, the more intense and bitter the flavor becomes.

Cooking With Dried Limes

Ghormeh Sabzi and Fesenjan are two top dishes that call for dried limes, though any slow-simmered dish is well suited for a dried lime infusion. They can be added to the water when cooking rice or brines for making pickles. Dried lime tea is also excellent for settling the stomach, though that often involves the leaves, too.

The easiest way to get started with dried limes, in my opinion, is to stick with soup. Chicken soup with rice is a beloved savoy staple the world over, so it’s easy to enjoy a new twist on the classic. Persian Chicken and Rice Soup adds a handful of chickpeas and of course, dried limes for some extra sour power. It’s the kind of flavor combination that will take off the chill, beat any cold, and generally comfort the hungry in any condition.

My version uses soy curls instead of poultry, of course, which also rehydrate in a snap. You can pretty much make this meal entirely from pantry staples on the fly, even when the fridge is otherwise bare.

Those who crave the bracing acidic bite of fresh citrus but sometimes neglect to stock their produce bin would be wise to invest in a surplus of these dried diamonds. Just like salt and pepper, you’ll find that they go with everything, and no dish is quite complete without that subtle seasoning. Trust me, you can expect to see a whole lot more instances of dried limes in my recipes from here on out.

Yield: Makes 6 Servings

Persian Chicken and Rice Soup

Print

Deeply comforting and universally beloved, chicken and rice soup gets a flavorful upgrade with dried limes and a sunny-yellow turmeric broth. It's a deeply satisfying one-pot meal that you can cook even when the fridge is bare.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Red Onion, Diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 4 Dried Limes
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Turmeric
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Cup Long Grain Rice
• 1 Cup Soy Curls
• 6 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 (14-Ounce) Can Chickpeas, Drained and Rinsed
• 1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley, Roughly Chopped

Instructions

1. Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and garlic, sauteing for 4 - 5 minutes until translucent and aromatic. Season with salt and continue to cook for 3 - 4 minutes, until lightly browned.
   
   
2. Mix in the dried limes, turmeric, pepper, and rice, cooking to lightly toast and coat the grains with the spices. After a minute, pour in the stock. Mix well and incorporate the rice and soy curls.
   
   
3. Simmer until the rice is tender; about 15 minutes. Add the chickpeas and continue to cook on low until beans are warmed through.
   
   
4. Remove the dried limes and discard or compost before serving. Top with parsley and ladle into bowls.
   
   

Notes

The soup will continue to thicken and absorb the stock as it sits. You may need to add more liquid to leftovers upon reheating.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• USimplySeason, - Dried Lime, Persian Limes (Limu Omani), Whole
• Simply Organic, Turmeric
• Frontier Co-op, Vegetarian Broth Powder, No-Chicken, 16 oz (453 g)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1048mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

The post In The Limelight appeared first on BitterSweet.