- Also known as:
- kieffer lime, makrut lime, or Thai lime
Kaffir lime
Where does the kaffir lime grow?
What are some of the uses of the kaffir lime?
Why is there a push to rename the kaffir lime?
Kaffir lime, bumpy and bitter-tasting fruit of the species Citrus hystrix, known for its fragrant leaves. The leaves are frequently used in Thai and Indonesian cuisines, while the fruit rind is used in curry pastes. The kaffir lime is a member of the Rutaceae family, which includes other citrus fruits such as lemons, grapefruits, and sweet and sour oranges. In recent times there has been a push to use alternative names for the kaffir lime such as “makrut lime,” as the term “kaffir” is used in parts of the world as a racial slur.
Geographical distribution and physical characteristics
The kaffir lime is native to South and Southeast Asia, including the countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Scottish botanist H.F. Macmillan is believed to have introduced the fruit to the English-speaking world through his Handbook of Tropical Gardening and Planting in the early 20th century. Kaffir limes can be grown around the world in tropical and subtropical climates but thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. The plants require a lot of moisture, but indoor plants can be maintained via regular watering as well as misting to maintain humidity. They cannot handle high winds or cold weather.
The C. hystrix tree grows low to the ground, resembling a shrub with dense, thorny branches, but can grow as tall as 25 feet (about 8 meters) in ideal conditions. The leaves, which can be harvested year-round, are green and oval shaped and emit a fragrant aroma similar to that of citronella. Its white flowers bloom in the spring, are self-pollinating, and have four to five white petals each. The thick rind of the fruit is notably bumpy and green. In the late winter to early spring, the fruit turns yellow and falls from the tree. The inner pulp of the fruit is sour and yellowish-green and contains little juice.
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Culinary and other uses
Kaffir lime leaves are typically used as an aromatic to flavor a variety of foods and beverages, including teas, curries, soups, salads, and fish cakes. The leaves can be used whole or shredded; they are often torn to release their oils during cooking and then removed before serving the dish. The rind of the fruit is often used in curry pastes. Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Cambodian cuisines feature the leaves and rind prominently. Because the pulp is so bitter, it is not used in cooking as often as the leaves or rind.
Several cultures use the plant therapeutically to treat a variety of maladies, including dandruff, hair loss, stomachaches, and fever. The leaves and fruit, which studies show have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, are also used to treat chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. One common medicinal use is as an insecticide on the head and the feet. The oil extracted from various parts of the plant has found applications in aromatherapy and such cosmetics as shampoo, skin and hair care products, and perfume.
Renaming the kaffir lime
There are multiple theories for how C. hystrix came to be referred to as kaffir lime. In Arabic the word kafir or kaffir has been used to refer to infidels, or non-believers in Islam. In Africa it came to be used by Arab slave traders when referring to the local population, and by the 20th century the term had been recognized as a slur against Black Africans, spurred by its adoption by white colonists. In fact the term is so widely recognized as a racial epithet that it has been cited in several South African legal cases; the use of the word has been held to be legally actionable under crimen injuria, which means “unlawfully and intentionally impairing the dignity or privacy of another person.” To complicate matters the term is also used in a non-derogatory manner to refer to a small African-descended ethnic minority in Sri Lanka.
Several commentators have highlighted the racial background behind the word “kaffir,” including comparing it to offensive racial terms used in the United States, and have argued for renaming the kaffir lime to non-offensive alternatives such as “Thai lime” or “makrut lime.” Several chefs and food writers have started using those names, and in 2021 the British supermarket chain Waitrose modified its packaging to say “makrut lime” instead of “kaffir lime.” However, the connection between the common name of C. hystrix and the racial epithet remains unclear.
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