The market · Fruit · The Middle East

Dried limes

Whole limes boiled in brine and sun-dried until hard and hollow — limoo amani in Iran, loomi in the Gulf. Sour, musky and fermented, the sourness of ghormeh sabzi and Gulf machboos.

sour · musky · fermented · bitter

What to do with it

Ibu Sari's Beef rendangDried lime would cut through its richnessRosa Ibarra's Clarified milk punch, mezcal and pineappleDried lime would temper its sweetnessAna Etxarri's Pil pilDried lime would cut through its richnessTolu Adeyemi's SuyaDried lime would cut through its richness
Classics built on it
PersianGhormeh sabziA deep green stew of herbs fried slowly in oil, with lamb, kidney beans and whole dried limes.No one here has made it yet

Kinds

Light (tan)
Brighter and sourer.
Black
Dried longer; deeper, smokier and more fermented.

If you can't find it

Middle Eastern and Persian grocers, as loomi or limoo amani.

  1. 1Lime
    Lime zest and a squeeze of juice, added late
    You lose the musty, fermented depth.

Goes with

lambkidney beanricefenugreek

Knowing it

Where to buy
Persian and Middle Eastern grocers, whole or ground.
Worth knowing
Pierce them a few times so the stew gets in, and press them against the pot towards the end to release their juice. If grinding, crack them and pick out the seeds — they're bitter.

Kitchens that keep it in

Iran — the high plateau between the Caspian Sea and the Persian GulfPersianSaffron rice with a golden crust, slow stews made sour with dried lime and pomegranate, and a heap of fresh herbs on every table — sweet, sharp and fragrant at once.10 classics

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