Citrus

Lime

Also called key lime, Persian lime

What it is

Acid and perfume in a green sphere. Persian limes are the supermarket default.

Origin

Southeast Asia; now tropical worldwide.

Flavour

Sharp, floral, less sweet than lemon.

How to use it

Juice at the end. Heat dulls citrus. For ceviche, juice is the cooking medium.

Storage

Room temperature for a few days, then fridge.

Can you recognise Lime?

Ingredient challenge

Questions about Lime

From this ingredient's notes in the catalogue — not a chatbot.

What is Lime?

Acid and perfume in a green sphere. Persian limes are the supermarket default.

How do I use Lime?

Juice at the end. Heat dulls citrus. For ceviche, juice is the cooking medium.

How do I store Lime?

Room temperature for a few days, then fridge.

What does it taste like?

Sharp, floral, less sweet than lemon.

What can replace Lime?

Lemon (high for dressings, finishing). Works in most savoury cooking. Desserts may notice.

Nutrition

Per 100g · estimate · USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables. Values are typical, not lab tests of your shopping bag.

Calories 30 kcal

Protein 0.7 g

Carbs 11 g

Fat 0.2 g

Recipes using it

Pad thai

ผัดไทย

Stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, egg and peanuts — a national dish with a 20th-century origin story.

40 minMedium🌶️

Som tam

ส้มตำ

Isaan green papaya salad pounded in a mortar — lime, fish sauce, chilli, peanuts, and a crunch that should be loud.

20 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tacos al pastor

Mexico City pork tacos with achiote, chilli and pineapple — shawarma technique that became something entirely Mexican.

3 hr 10 minMedium🌶️🌶️

Phở bò

Vietnamese beef noodle soup: a long, clear-ish broth, rice noodles, herbs, and a table full of finishing flavours.

4 hrA bit of work🌶️

Ceviche

Peruvian lime-cured fish with chilli, red onion and coriander. Your fishmonger matters more than your knife skills.

40 minMedium🌶️🌶️

Elote

Street corn — grilled, then mayo, cheese, chilli and lime. Eat it over a napkin.

25 minVery easy🌶️

Pozole

A feast soup of nixtamal corn and pork — red, white or green — that you finish at the table with radish, cabbage and lime.

2 hr 25 minMedium🌶️🌶️

Guacamole

Crushed avocado, onion, chilli, lime and coriander — a mash, not a sour-cream dip.

10 minVery easy🌶️

Carnitas

Pork cooked in its own fat until it shreds and the edges crisp — Michoacán's taco filling, not a dry roast.

3 hr 50 minMediumNo chilli

Causa limeña

A cold yellow potato terrine with lime and chilli, layered with chicken or tuna — Lima's starter that is not mashed potatoes.

1 hr 55 minMedium🌶️

Khao soi

ข้าวซอย

Northern Thai curry noodles — coconut broth, boiled noodles, fried noodles on top, pickle on the side.

55 minMedium🌶️🌶️

Larb

ลาบ

Isaan minced-meat salad — lime, fish sauce, toasted rice powder, herbs. Heat that wants sticky rice.

25 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Gỏi cuốn

Fresh rice-paper rolls — prawn or pork, herbs, noodles — dipped in peanut or nước chấm. Not fried.

40 minMediumNo chilli

Bún chả

Hanoi grilled pork, rice noodles, a sweet-sour dipping broth, and a pile of herbs.

1 hr 45 minMediumNo chilli

Bún bò Huế

A central Vietnamese beef-and-lemongrass noodle soup — thicker noodles, a redder broth, and more chilli than phở.

3 hr 30 minA bit of work🌶️🌶️🌶️

Doro wat

ዶሮ ወጥ

Chicken in a dark berbere-onion sauce, a hard-boiled egg — the feast pot, not a weeknight curry.

2 hrMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️

Avocado dip with new potatoes

Avocado dip with new potatoes from Australia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 16 minMedium🌶️

Beef Banh Mi Bowls with Sriracha Mayo, Carrot & Pickled Cucumber

Beef Banh Mi Bowls with Sriracha Mayo, Carrot & Pickled Cucumber from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

55 minMediumNo chilli

Beef Rendang

Beef Rendang from Malaysia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

9 hr 41 minMediumNo chilli

Brown Stew Chicken

Brown Stew Chicken from Jamaica. Times were inferred from the source steps.

55 minA bit of workNo chilli

Chickpea Fajitas

Chickpea Fajitas from Mexico. Times were inferred from the source steps.

40 minA bit of work🌶️

Chilli prawn linguine

Chilli prawn linguine from Italy. Times were inferred from the source steps.

21 minA bit of work🌶️

Quick gazpacho

Quick gazpacho from Spain. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

15 minEasy🌶️

Lemongrass beef stew with noodles

Lemongrass beef stew with noodles from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 45 minA bit of work🌶️

Massaman Beef curry

Massaman Beef curry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

2 hr 16 minA bit of work🌶️

Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai)

Panang chicken curry

Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai) from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minA bit of work🌶️

Pistachio cake

Pistachio cake from Poland. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 26 minA bit of workNo chilli

Red curry chicken kebabs

Red curry chicken kebabs from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

18 minMediumNo chilli

Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots

Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

13 minA bit of work🌶️

Prawn stir-fry

Prawn stir-fry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

14 minA bit of work🌶️

Salmon Avocado Salad

Salmon Avocado Salad from United Kingdom. Times were inferred from the source steps.

14 minMediumNo chilli

Salmon noodle soup

Salmon noodle soup from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

23 minMediumNo chilli

Salmon noodle wraps

Salmon noodle wraps from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

32 minMedium🌶️

Thai coconut & veg broth

Thai coconut & veg broth from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minA bit of workNo chilli

Thai green chicken soup

Thai green chicken soup from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

31 minA bit of workNo chilli

Thai Green Curry

Thai Green Curry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

36 minMediumNo chilli

Thai-style steamed fish

Thai-style steamed fish from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

25 minMedium🌶️

Tom kha gai

Tom kha gai from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

33 minA bit of work🌶️

Tom yum soup with prawns

Tom yum soup with prawns from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

35 minA bit of work🌶️

Jerk chicken with rice & peas

Jerk chicken with rice & peas from Jamaica. Times were inferred from the source steps.

10 hr 40 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese pork salad

Vietnamese pork salad from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

22 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese veg parcels

Vietnamese veg parcels from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

24 hr 10 minA bit of work🌶️

Beef pho

Beef pho from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 3 minA bit of work🌶️

Escovitch Fish

Escovitch Fish from Jamaica. Times were inferred from the source steps.

24 hr 10 minA bit of work🌶️🌶️🌶️

Leblebi Soup

Leblebi Soup from Tunisia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 15 minMedium🌶️

Thai-style fish broth with greens

Thai-style fish broth with greens from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minMediumNo chilli

Vietnamese chicken salad

Vietnamese chicken salad from Vietnam. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

40 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese prawn spiralized rolls

Vietnamese prawn spiralized rolls from Vietnam. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

20 minMedium🌶️

Purple sprouting broccoli tempura with nuoc cham

Purple sprouting broccoli tempura with nuoc cham from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

13 minMedium🌶️

Laksa King Prawn Noodles

Laksa King Prawn Noodles from Malaysia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

19 minMedium🌶️

Tom yum (hot & sour) soup with prawns

Tom yum (hot & sour) soup with prawns from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

12 minMedium🌶️

Steak & Vietnamese noodle salad

Steak & Vietnamese noodle salad from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

18 minA bit of work🌶️

Tangy carrot, cabbage & onion salad

Tangy carrot, cabbage & onion salad from Vietnam. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

10 minMedium🌶️

Thai chicken cakes with sweet chilli sauce

Thai chicken cakes with sweet chilli sauce from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

18 minMedium🌶️

Thai pork & peanut curry

Thai pork & peanut curry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

34 minMediumNo chilli

Thai rice noodle salad

Thai rice noodle salad from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

34 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes

Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 11 minA bit of work🌶️

Spicy Thai prawn noodles

Spicy Thai prawn noodles from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

16 minMedium🌶️

Thai pumpkin soup

Thai pumpkin soup from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

56 minMedium🌶️

BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes

BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes from United States. Times were inferred from the source steps.

54 minA bit of workNo chilli

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie from United States. Times were inferred from the source steps.

8 hr 46 minMediumNo chilli

Breadfruit in Butter Sauce Recipe

Breadfruit in Butter Sauce Recipe from Barbados. Times were inferred from the source steps.

45 minA bit of workNo chilli

Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich from Cuba. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 19 minA bit of workNo chilli

Breadfruit in Butter Sauce

Breadfruit in Butter Sauce from Barbados. Times were inferred from the source steps.

25 minA bit of workNo chilli

Prahok Ktis – Pork and Coconut Dip

Prahok Ktis – Pork and Coconut Dip from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

54 minA bit of work🌶️

Grilled corn with garlic mayo & grated cheese

Grilled corn with garlic mayo & grated cheese from Brazil. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minEasyNo chilli

Conch Fritters

Note: Make the conch mix the day before and store in the refrigerator to allow time for flavours to meld together. Tartar sauce can also be prepared beforehand. Just combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and re

9 hr 17 minA bit of work🌶️

BEEF LOK LAK (Lok Lak Sach Ko)

BEEF LOK LAK

BEEF LOK LAK (Lok Lak Sach Ko) from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

45 minA bit of workNo chilli

Amok Trey – Cambodian Fish Curry

Amok Trey – Cambodian Fish Curry from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

59 minMediumNo chilli

Acaraje black-eyed pea fritters with shrimp filling

Acaraje black-eyed pea fritters with shrimp filling from Brazil. Times were inferred from the source steps.

23 minA bit of work🌶️

Mango chow

Simply combine everything in a bowl and serve alongside just about anything.

10 minMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️

Bangladeshi fish curry with daikon

If you are using rohu fish it will usually be frozen. Soak it in cold water for 30-45 minutes to defrost and while still a little firm, descale and cut each steak into quarters and wash in cold saltwater a few times. Dra

2 hr 10 minMedium🌶️

Baked Yuca Fries

Baked Yuca Fries from Cuba. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 5 minMedium🌶️

Bahia-style Moqueca prawn stew

Bahia-style Moqueca prawn stew from Brazil. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 28 minA bit of work🌶️

Barbados Pepperpot

Barbados Pepperpot from Barbados. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

1 hr 5 minA bit of work🌶️🌶️🌶️

Mango Tropical Salsa

Mango Tropical Salsa from Costa Rica. Times were inferred from the source steps.

45 minMediumNo chilli

Meang Nem

Rinse the rice, soak in water for about 10 minutes, then drain well. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until evenly dark golden brown and very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Trans

58 minA bit of work🌶️

Nom Banh Chok – Cambodian Noodle Soup

Nom Banh Chok – Cambodian Noodle Soup from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 1 minMedium🌶️

Black Bean soup

Black Bean soup from Cuba. Times were inferred from the source steps.

42 minA bit of work🌶️

Samlar Kari – Khmer Red Curry

Samlar Kari – Khmer Red Curry from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

56 minA bit of workNo chilli

Slow-cooked, Wadadli-spiced Cubano pork belly

Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender. Lay the pork in a large dish, pour over the marinade, then turn the meat in the mixture, rubbing in the marinade all over and making sure eve

10 hr 15 minA bit of work🌶️