Black lemon ground

Also: loomi, black lime, Oman lime, limo amani, citrus aurantiifolia, Persian lime, omani, noomi basra

Description:
The spice commercially available as "Black Lemon" is actually a lime. To make this Arabic specialty, fresh limes are boiled in salty water and then dried. During this process, the flesh of the lime turns brownish to black.

Black lemons are an excellent accompaniment to all stews, as they retain their flavor even during longer cooking times. In Iran, lime enhances numerous lamb and rice dishes such as Ghormeh Sabzi, a lamb and herb stew with fenugreek, dill, coriander and parsley.  Black lemons are also used to prepare Iranian pilafs and to flavor North Indian rice dishes. The fruity and sweet-tart flavor goes well with rice, lamb, poultry and fish.

Usage:
Use the black lemon according to taste. The ground variety should be added only in the last third of the preparation.

Known dishes:
Ghormeh Sabzi, Majboos, Kabsa, Loomi Tea.

Aroma/Taste:
Intense, tart lemon flavor, slightly fermented.

Harmonizes with:
Cardamom, coriander, clove, cinnamon, dill, allspice, tarragon.

Origin:
Iran