Kaffir lime leaf noun

The leaf of the makrut lime tree, used across Thai cooking for its perfume. The fruit's zest is used too, but the leaf is the everyday ingredient.

Intensely floral citrus, like lime zest and lemongrass together, with a clean bitterness in the leaf itself.

Tear or bruise whole leaves into soups and curries and remove before serving; slice into hair-thin threads for salads, fish cakes and stir-fries where they are eaten. Fresh or frozen leaves are far better than dried.

Native to tropical Asia, the tree is grown in most Thai gardens. The leaf is essential to tom yum, tom kha, green curry and larb, and to the panang and massaman pastes that Dopa imports.