Lime
Photo by Sophia Perida
Wait, you put the what in the coconut?
Limes! Though often substituted and used interchangeably with lemons in different recipes, the distinct smell and flavor of limes give them a particular edge when making certain dishes, particularly cultural dishes from places like South America and certain parts of Southeast Asia. The downside to these flavor bombs is that it can be significantly tougher to juice them than other citrus fruits.
Sophia’s cooking tip: Not sure if this really counts as a cooking tip, but basically, when it comes to limes, I truly recommend just investing in a decent manual citrus squeezer. They are consistently difficult to work with. Make sure to massage the limes for a good minute or two and pop them into the microwave for a few seconds before you slice them in half (same direction you would slice a lemon), but then just go for it.
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Everything you need to know about limes.
In terms of health risks, you might want to make sure you don’t have a paper cut before you work with them.
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In addition to the recipes below, a squeeze of lime juice or a bit of lime zest can brighten up a variety of dishes that feel too heavy to eat.
Avocado Crema with Lime (this one is more of a topping for other foods)
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It’s always nice to have some sort of citrus juice on hand for when you need them. Knowing the best storing options for limes allows you to have them handy for different dishes while also preventing food waste.