I love having secret weapons in my kitchen, ingredients that with a mere sprinkle can elevate a dish or a snack from ordinary to fabulous. Kaffir lime powder is one of those. The deep-green, waxy leaf of the kaffir lime, with its distinctly fragrant citrus flavor common to Southeast Asian cooking, is traditionally tossed whole into curries and soups, but one of my favorite ways to use this zesty leaf is to grind it into a powder, imparting its balmy oils in a fine shower to infuse a sorbet or as a final citrusy burst on seafood dish, such as Steamed Turbot with Lemongrass, Peas, and Baby Spinach.
MAKES 2 TABLESPOONS POWDER
EQUIPMENT: An electric spice mill; a small jar with a lid.
12 fresh, frozen, or dried kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped
In the spice mill, grind the leaves to a fine powder. Store in the jar with the lid securely tightened at room temperature for up to 1 month.
NOTES
• The leaves, ground or whole, keep well in the freezer, so you can always have a stash to hand.
• For sprinkling on desserts, you can add a touch of unrefined cane sugar to the grinder to make a sweeter powder.