Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Kaffir Lime Tree ( also known as Makroot leaf tree)

These folks come a couple of times a year to harvest the leaves of the huge Kaffir lime tree that grows in our back yard , they sell the leaves to the local restuarants and also send to the market to sell , the leaves are used for lots of Thai food dishes and a must for the Thai soup call Tum Yum , one of my favorite spices for cooking a lot of stir fr
y dishes. Ciejay likes it when they come to gather the fresh young leaves , they pay her. Have you ever tried or cooked with the makroot leaves , if not give it a try you'll love the flavor it will add to your dish . Kaffir limeFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Citrus hystrix, commonly known in English as kaffir lime, is a fruit native to Indochinese and Malesian ecoregions in India, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, and adjacent countries. It is used in Southeast Asian cuisine. Contents [hide] 1 Common names 2 Description 3 Uses 3.1 Cuisine 3.2 Medicinal 3.3 Other uses 3.4 Cultivation 4 Main constituents 5 See also 6 References Common names[edit source | editbeta]English: kaffir lime; French:[2] citron combera, citron ridé; Indonesian/Malay: jeruk obat, jeruk purut, limau purut; Khmer: krô:ch saë:ch;[2] Thai magrood;[3] also known as combava, kieffer lime, makrut lime or kabuyao/cabuyao.[4] Description[edit source | editbeta]Citrus hystrix is a thorny bush, 5-10m tall, with aromatic and distinctively shaped "double" leaves. The kaffir lime is a rough, bumpy green fruit. The green lime fruit is distinguished by its bumpy exterior and its small size (approx. 4 cm (2 in) wide). Kaffir lime leaves are used in some South East Asian cuisines such as Indonesian, Lao, Cambodian, and Thailand (มะกรูด).Cuisine[edit source | editbeta]The rind of the kaffir lime is commonly used in Lao and Thai curry paste, adding an aromatic, astringent flavor.[3] The zest of the fruit is used in creole cuisine to impart flavor in "arranged" rums in the Martinique, Réunion island and Madagascar. However, it is the hourglass-shaped leaves (comprising the leaf blade plus a flattened, leaf-like leaf-stalk or petiole) that are used most often in cooking. They can be used fresh or dried, and can be stored frozen. The leaves are widely used in Thai[3] and Lao cuisine (for dishes such as tom yum), and Cambodian cuisine (for the base paste "Krueng"). Kaffir lime leaves are used in Vietnamese cuisine with chicken to add fragrance. They are also used when steaming snails to decrease the pungent odor while cooking. The leaves are also used in Indonesian cuisine (especially Balinese cuisine and Javanese cuisine), for foods such as sayur asam, and are used along with Indonesian bay leaf for chicken and fish. They are also found in Malaysian[5] and Burmese cuisines. The juice is generally regarded as too acidic to use in food preparation. In Cambodia, the entire fruit is crystallized/candied for eating.[2] Medicinal[edit source | editbeta]The juice and rinds are used in traditional Indonesian medicine; for this reason the fruit is referred to in Indonesia as jeruk obat ("medicine citrus"). The oil from the rind has strong insecticidal properties. Other uses[edit source | editbeta]The juice finds use as a cleanser for clothing and hair in Thailand and very occasionally in Cambodia. Lustral water mixed with slices of the fruit is used in religious ceremonies in Cambodia. MaxRoot gel is made of kaffir lime extract and has been used since old age in the northern parts of Thailand in a particular and secret way of preparation to maintain health and beauty of the Siam people’s shiny hair. Cultivation[edit source | editbeta]Citrus hystrix is grown worldwide in suitable climates as a garden shrub for home fruit production. It is well suited to container gardens and for large garden pots on patios, terraces, and in conservatories.

9 comments:

Newt said...

We live in southern Calfornia, so the wife is able to grow a small Kaffir Lime in the backyard. Our "tree" is more the size of a shrub or small bush, whereas yours is truly a tree. I love the aroma of Kaffir leaves in cooking; so aromatic, and distinctive [it's mouth-watering!].

Martyn said...

Malcolm - Small amounts of citrus, lemon grass and kefir-lime leaf are used to make Udon Thani's Miss Udorn Sunshine perfume which was the world's first known orchid perfume.

Donna from Michigan said...

Malcolm, I love your blog. My husband and I intend to retire to Thailand in 5 years. I am so excited I have a hard with the wait.
I am trying so hard to find out all the information I can, good and bad, but with my rose-colored glasses, I can only see the beauty.
I am not sure where my husband and I will retire in Thailand but I think I would love your village and it's sweet people.

Like you, I am an animal lover and smile at your animal stories.

I also love and respect my husband greatly, like you do your wife and I love to hear the stories about your love for her and your life together.

Keep up the great work and we will definitely come and see you when we get to LOS>
DONNA from Michigan

Jim and Year Allen said...

Hi Malcolm,
I have been reading your blog for a couple of years now. My wife (Thai) and I are planning on retiring next year in the LOS. What kind of advice can you give me pertaining to the type of visa I should get? I am 52 years old and want to retire near Bangkok. Should I get Marriage Visa or Retirement Visa?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Jim

Jim and Year Allen said...

Hi Malcolm,
I have been reading your blog for a couple of years now. My wife (Thai) and I are planning on retiring next year in the LOS. What kind of advice can you give me pertaining to the type of visa I should get? I am 52 years old and want to retire near Bangkok. Should I get Marriage Visa or Retirement Visa?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Jim

Malcolm and Ciejay Burgess said...

If you want to get marriage i year support stay you have to be married in Thailand and then you can get support visa or iyear stay same thing , but id you have 800,000 baht or 65,000 baht either or 65,000 coming in each month or 800,000 to leave in bank you can get retirement visa , still have to report every 90 days to local immagration and still have to apply and renew each year , just up,to you as to how much money you have

Malcolm and Ciejay Burgess said...

Donna , even if you take off the rose colored glasses , it's still a great place to retired , but you have to wrap your mind around , that the customs and people are nothing like Americans and do not even think the same as us on any subject , they will not change to fit into your life , You will have to change a lot to fit into their life style , takes a little getting use to, but the postives make it worth the effort and I do mean a effort . ., look foward to seeing you when you get here , and I would suggest a extended visit renting a little place before you make the big jump .

Malcolm and Ciejay Burgess said...

Donna and Jim if you have more questions e-mail me at thaiburgess@hotmail.com

prince said...

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