Kaffir Lime leaves

[Pete Romfh]

I had to trim a few branches back on my tree. I saved the leaves but have
more than I can use.
If you can use a few, send me a mailing address and I'll pop a few in the
mail.

If you care to send me a good recipe I'll add it to my collection. I enjoy
cooking most any type of Asian dishes so "unusual" or "authentic" ones are
always welcome.

I'm also looking for a source of fresh Galangal.
We see it occasionally in the markets here but often it's old or dried out.

[Joel Smith]

GEE I just dug some galanga for my green curry...where do you live???? I am
in Florida so galanga grows so nicely here just send me a bubble envelope
(stamped ) and I will send you some

Post by Pete Romfh
I had to trim a few branches back on my tree. I saved the leaves but have
more than I can use.
If you can use a few, send me a mailing address and I'll pop a few in the
mail.
If you care to send me a good recipe I'll add it to my collection. I enjoy
cooking most any type of Asian dishes so "unusual" or "authentic" ones are
always welcome.
I'm also looking for a source of fresh Galangal.
We see it occasionally in the markets here but often it's old or dried out.
--
Pete Romfh, Telecom Geek & Amateur Gourmet.
promfh at Texas dot net

[B.Server]

On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 00:12:10 -0600, "Pete Romfh"

Post by Pete Romfh
I had to trim a few branches back on my tree. I saved the leaves but have
more than I can use.
If you can use a few, send me a mailing address and I'll pop a few in the
mail.
If you care to send me a good recipe I'll add it to my collection. I enjoy
cooking most any type of Asian dishes so "unusual" or "authentic" ones are
always welcome.
I'm also looking for a source of fresh Galangal.
We see it occasionally in the markets here but often it's old or dried out.

If you are in a place where you can grow a kaffir lime, you are in a
place where you can grow your own galangal. If nothing else, a big
(20 gal or so) nursery container will support a healthy crop. I have
one for galangal and turmeric and one for ginger.

[KWR]

Post by B.Server
On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 00:12:10 -0600, "Pete Romfh"

Post by Pete Romfh
I had to trim a few branches back on my tree. I saved the leaves but have
more than I can use.
If you can use a few, send me a mailing address and I'll pop a few in the
mail.
If you care to send me a good recipe I'll add it to my collection. I enjoy
cooking most any type of Asian dishes so "unusual" or "authentic" ones are
always welcome.
I'm also looking for a source of fresh Galangal.
We see it occasionally in the markets here but often it's old or dried out.

If you are in a place where you can grow a kaffir lime, you are in a
place where you can grow your own galangal. If nothing else, a big
(20 gal or so) nursery container will support a healthy crop. I have
one for galangal and turmeric and one for ginger.

Hey, nice going B.Server!

I have had bad luck with ginger - it always seems to die back and go
nowhere. What, if anything, is your secret? Does it get equal treatment
with the galanga?

NB. I'm growing galanga and turmeric; the galanga is doing very well and
the turmeric iffy. A couple of years ago I had mango ginger as well but
lost it to rot during winter dormancy.

Anyone have any good recipes using turmeric leaves?
The only one I've tried is a rendition of rendang, and the leaves added
in moderation contributed a very interesting flavour.


Best - krnntp

[Iris]

Hello everybody!

I am introducing Asian dishes into our mostly Mediterranean diet. I
purchased a nice book called "The Practical Encyclopedia of Asian
Cooking" by Sallie Morries and Deh-Ta Hsiung which I find very helpful
and easy to follow. There's one thing, however, that I'm not quite
sure what to do about.

The curried dishes I've been making call for Kaffir lime leaves. It
took a while for me to find them and when I finally did, they were
frozen (a couple of dozen or so pairs of leaves in a plastic tray,
wrapped in plastic).

I bought the leaves and they were half defrosted when I got home. Not
sure what to do, I put them in the freezer right away hoping they'd be
fine.

Well, later that week, I used 4 leaves to make a Thai red chicken
curry with bamboo shoots (recipe from the book). One leave went into
the curry and the other three were added, together with the bamboo
shoots, a few minutes before removing the dish from the heat.

Everything was going fine up until I added the torn Kaffir lime leaves
and the bamboo shoots to the pan. Suddenly my wonderful curry dish
starting smelling like soap. I thought it was just me, but my husband
noticed it too.

This was the first time I used bamboo shoots and Kaffir leaves. The
leaves looked fine though I didn't think of checking their smell
before I put them in the pan.

So, please help me understand this. I hear wonderful things about the
taste and smell of Kaffir lime leaves so what went wrong?

What are they supposed to smell like? And why do these ones I bought
smell like soap?

Thanks.

Iris

[Andrew Berg]

Post by Iris
Hello everybody!

snip

Post by Iris
What are they supposed to smell like? And why do these ones I bought
smell like soap?
Thanks.
Iris

That's what kaffir lime leaf smells like. Go ahead and eat it.

[david]

Post by Andrew Berg

Post by Iris
Hello everybody!

snip

Post by Iris
What are they supposed to smell like? And why do these ones I bought
smell like soap?
Thanks.
Iris

That's what kaffir lime leaf smells like. Go ahead and eat it.

Mine don't smell like soap. They have a wonderful, well, limey/citrus aroma.
It is impossible to ever think this is the bad thing. On the other hand,
bamboo shoots can ruin a dish. Were they fresh or canned? Fresh shoots at
the least need to be boiled to make them edible. I'd go for canned or give
them a miss.

[Iris]

Post by david

Post by Andrew Berg

Post by Iris
Hello everybody!

snip

Post by Iris
What are they supposed to smell like? And why do these ones I bought
smell like soap?
Thanks.
Iris

That's what kaffir lime leaf smells like. Go ahead and eat it.

Mine don't smell like soap. They have a wonderful, well, limey/citrus aroma.
It is impossible to ever think this is the bad thing.

Well, it was, indeed, the Kaffir lime leaves. Last week my husband and
I had lunch at a very nice Cambodian restaurant. This restaurant is
famous for their amok Angkor-style so we ordered it. When the waitress
brought it to the table, we knew right there that there was nothing
wrong with the Kaffir I had used in that Thai dish at home. I it just
us... Regrettably, we find the aroma of the Kaffir leaves loathsome.

It's just so weird. I love the smell and taste of ginger, lemongrass,
galangal, tamarind, etc., but can't tolerate Kaffir leaves, lemon
verbena or cilantro. Go figure.

[B.Server]

[...]

Post by Iris
Well, it was, indeed, the Kaffir lime leaves. Last week my husband and
I had lunch at a very nice Cambodian restaurant. This restaurant is
famous for their amok Angkor-style so we ordered it. When the waitress
brought it to the table, we knew right there that there was nothing
wrong with the Kaffir I had used in that Thai dish at home. I it just
us... Regrettably, we find the aroma of the Kaffir leaves loathsome.
It's just so weird. I love the smell and taste of ginger, lemongrass,
galangal, tamarind, etc., but can't tolerate Kaffir leaves, lemon
verbena or cilantro. Go figure.

Just curious. Do you also loath the odor of fresh lime or lemon peel
or zest? How about grapefruit rind? Do you find them to be at all
similar to the aroma of kaffir lime?

[Pete Romfh]

Post by Iris
Hello everybody!
I am introducing Asian dishes into our mostly
Mediterranean diet. I purchased a nice book called "The
Practical Encyclopedia of Asian Cooking" by Sallie
Morries and Deh-Ta Hsiung which I find very helpful and
easy to follow. There's one thing, however, that I'm not
quite sure what to do about.
The curried dishes I've been making call for Kaffir lime
leaves. It took a while for me to find them and when I
finally did, they were frozen (a couple of dozen or so
pairs of leaves in a plastic tray, wrapped in plastic).
I bought the leaves and they were half defrosted when I
got home. Not sure what to do, I put them in the freezer
right away hoping they'd be fine.
Well, later that week, I used 4 leaves to make a Thai red
chicken curry with bamboo shoots (recipe from the book).
One leave went into the curry and the other three were
added, together with the bamboo shoots, a few minutes
before removing the dish from the heat.
Everything was going fine up until I added the torn
Kaffir lime leaves and the bamboo shoots to the pan.
Suddenly my wonderful curry dish starting smelling like
soap. I thought it was just me, but my husband noticed it
too.
This was the first time I used bamboo shoots and Kaffir
leaves. The leaves looked fine though I didn't think of
checking their smell before I put them in the pan.
So, please help me understand this. I hear wonderful
things about the taste and smell of Kaffir lime leaves so
what went wrong?
What are they supposed to smell like? And why do these
ones I bought smell like soap?
Thanks.
Iris

If you think they were spoiled or that the frozen ones were the problem,
send me your address )off-line) and I'll send you a few fresh ones to
compare against.

[Iris]

Post by Pete Romfh
If you think they were spoiled or that the frozen ones were the problem,
send me your address )off-line) and I'll send you a few fresh ones to
compare against.

That won't be necessary but thank you, anyway. I shouldn't lose hope,
you know. Today I like things I used to dislike some years ago
(avocado, basil, estragon, certain tipes of fish).

[Iris]

Post by B.Server

Post by Iris
It's just so weird. I love the smell and taste of ginger, lemongrass,
galangal, tamarind, etc., but can't tolerate Kaffir leaves, lemon
verbena or cilantro. Go figure.

Just curious. Do you also loath the odor of fresh lime or lemon peel
or zest? How about grapefruit rind? Do you find them to be at all
similar to the aroma of kaffir lime?

Not at all. I like citrus and use zest and juice in my drinks and
cooking quite often. What I find very similar to the aroma of Kaffir
lime leaves is the lemon verbena.

[B.Server]

[...]

Post by Iris

Post by B.Server
Just curious. Do you also loath the odor of fresh lime or lemon peel
or zest? How about grapefruit rind? Do you find them to be at all
similar to the aroma of kaffir lime?

Not at all. I like citrus and use zest and juice in my drinks and
cooking quite often. What I find very similar to the aroma of Kaffir
lime leaves is the lemon verbena.

Thanks Iris. I've no idea what lemon verbena smells like (I know, I
know, like kaffir lime...) so I'll just try to remember to find some
the next time I am at the herb nursery.

[kalanamak]

Post by B.Server

Post by Iris
Not at all. I like citrus and use zest and juice in my drinks and
cooking quite often. What I find very similar to the aroma of Kaffir
lime leaves is the lemon verbena.

Thanks Iris. I've no idea what lemon verbena smells like (I know, I
know, like kaffir lime...) so I'll just try to remember to find some
the next time I am at the herb nursery.

You know the lemon oil you polish furniture with? Imagine lime oil. I
like it in soups, but I cut WAAAAAAAY back. The only time I like it full
bore is in really spicy hot and soup Thai style soup.
blacksalt

[kalanamak]

Post by kalanamak
bore is in really spicy hot and soup Thai style soup.
blacksalt

EEEk! Make that hot and sour Thai soup.
blacksalt

[KWR]

Post by kalanamak

Post by kalanamak
bore is in really spicy hot and soup Thai style soup.
blacksalt

EEEk! Make that hot and sour Thai soup.
blacksalt

How about rau om / rice paddy herb?

That's one thing with a strong sort of citrussy flavour that I'm still
trying to figure out how to harness effectively in food.

Interesting that Iris is pro-lemongrass but doesn't like kaffir lime.
The main flavouring component of the two is nearly chemically identical
(it's the same compound but in left- vs. right- handed versions). Maybe
it's all the other oils in kaffir lime, limonenes etc, that are the
palatibility problem.

Best - krnntp