Sweet & Savory Lamb Boreks, Spotlight on Black Lime, Phyllo Dough: The Puff Pastry Alternative, Reach for Black Lime Instead of Salt
This stop on my first modern-day spice road journey is the most unusual one—the spice known as black lime. Black limes have a rich and storied legacy in Persian cuisine dating back centuries and have been used for everything from making a delicious tea to dyeing yarn. They’re popular in Iran (the modern-day heart of what was Persia) for soups and stews; in northern India; and in Iraq and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman, where they’re known as loomi or limu Omani. Still, many American cooks have never used black lime before, and it’s hard to find them whole, much less the ground spice made from them, outside of some ethnic food stores.
Surprisingly many of the Persian limes (Citrus latifolia) used to make this exotic spice are grown in Guatemala in Central America, where they’ve become an important crop to satisfy a growing global demand for this quintessential Middle Eastern ingredient. Ripe limes are dried in the sun until they naturally turn black. While black limes are added whole in many Persian recipes, the ground version is very handy to use, plus the grinding process releases their fragrant oils to the max. You can taste their zing in this wonderful recipe for boreks, savory Turkish meat pastries.
Sweet & Savory Lamb Boreks
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Black Lime
Black lime is especially delicious on seafood, including grilled shrimp, salmon, and tuna, as well as on meat, rice and other grains, and vegetables. Besides delving into Persian foods, try it on ceviche, avocado toast, and soft cheeses; as an ingredient in vinaigrettes; in marinades, dry rubs, and za’atar for lamb and chicken…and on any food you usually like with a squeeze of lime. A fun way to enjoy its flavor jolt is to use it to rim the glasses the next time you mix up a batch of margaritas or Bloody Marys.
Healthy Kitchen Nugget
Phyllo Dough: The Puff Pastry Alternative
I love phyllo dough as a light and delicious alternative to puff pastry. If you’re lucky enough to live near a traditional Greek bakery, you may be able to buy it fresh. But it’s also readily available in the freezer case at most supermarkets—look for brands with the fewest added ingredients. When you work with phyllo, as you peel off sheets, keep the rest under a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. The great thing is that, with a light brushing of olive oil, any pieces that rip can be held together.
For Your Best Health
Reach for Black Lime Instead of Salt
It’s hard to say how many of the lime’s natural plant compounds, such as vitamin C and other antioxidants, remain intact or even become intensified by the drying process used to make black lime. One thing is certain: It’s a great way to season food without reaching for the salt shaker, and limiting salt has great health benefits, including keeping blood pressure in a safe zone, according to the American Heart Association.
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