Also Called: Loomi
Black lime is a key ingredient in Middle Eastern and Persian cuisine, prized for its intense, tangy, and slightly bitter flavor. It is made by boiling fresh limes in saltwater and then sun-drying them until they become dark, hard, and shriveled. The drying process concentrates their flavor, transforming the limes into a uniquely versatile spice used in stews, soups, and marinades across the culinary traditions of Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Black lime has a complex flavor profile. It retains the sourness of fresh lime but also develops a deep, earthy bitterness and an almost fermented, smoky aroma. This makes it a distinctive souring agent, often used to balance rich, hearty dishes like slow-cooked meats, stews, and rice-based meals. The spice adds a bright, citrusy tang that cuts through the heaviness of foods, leaving behind a lingering, nuanced flavor that is both zesty and savory.
In Persian cuisine, black lime is often added to dishes like ghormeh sabzi, a herb stew with beans and lamb, or abgoosht, a traditional lamb and chickpea soup. The limes are either used whole, pierced to allow their flavor to infuse, or ground into a powder for easier incorporation into spice blends and sauces. In Gulf Arab cooking, black lime is frequently used in rice dishes such as machboos and kabsa, where it infuses the grains with its aromatic citrus flavor.