Persian dried limes, or limoo amani, offer more than just citrusy tartness. Their unique flavor is woody, earthy, and musky. Drying the limes intensifies the citrus essence, making them potent flavor bombs in Persian recipes. They are a little-known ingredient that transforms slow-cooked stews like khoresh gheymeh and my all-time favorite, ghormeh sabzi.
Before I knew what umami was or tasted like, my mom taught me that some dishes needed that special something moreā¦ an extra depth, a balancing element of sourness. In Persian cuisine, tart notes of flavor are a key element of a variety of dishes, because they add both contrast and complexity. Fresh lime juice, sour grapes, and dried limes are all used to contribute that unique layered acidity.
šāš© Persian Limes & How Theyāre Different from Regular Limes
Persian limes differ from generic supermarket limes in several key ways:
- Size & shape ā Persian limes are larger, typically around 2.5 inches in diameter, and more oval.
- Flavor & acidity ā Persian limes have a milder, less acidic taste, making them more balanced and less bitter than some regular limes, which can be sharper in flavor. Some people even describe them as sweet (for limes).
- Seeds ā Persian limes are nearly always seedless.
- Rind & juiciness ā Persian limes tend to produce more juice due to their larger size and thinner rind.
š¢ What Are Dried Limes?
Dried Persian limes are whole limes that have been dehydrated until their skins harden into a brittle shell, preserving the concentrated citrus inside. We donāt pierce them before cooking. Instead, theyāre cracked open to release their complex aroma. Lately, Iāve noticed that these intense citrus bombs are seeing a resurgence beyond traditional Persian recipes, with powdered dried limes popping up in craft cocktails, spice blends, and even desserts thanks to their deep, tangy flavor.
Traditionally, these limes are sun-dried in arid environments, a process that doesnāt work in high humidity. When I lived in Los Angeles, I could leave them out to dry in the sun, but in a kitchen, the process requires a dehydrator running for 48 hours straight. At that point, itās not just time-consuming, itās way more expensive than buying them. Luckily, Middle Eastern markets or online stores almost always carry them. I have used brands like Sadaf, Golchin, and Mideast and theyāve all been great. These limes are the ones I get on Amazon.
š©āš³ How to Make This Recipe
Iāll be 100% honest with you, dried limes are just downright time-consuming to make. Even though Iām providing this recipe, I wouldnāt recommend making dried limes from scratch unless you happen to have a Persian lime tree, a lot of patience, and excitement about making shelf-stable ingredients.
Iāve always been excited about making my own ingredients from scratch, but some things are best purchased. Dried Persian limes are one of them. That said, if youāre feeling adventurous, hereās my step-by-step recipe.
Start by preparing an ice bath and setting your dehydrator (or oven) to 135Ā°F. Check your oven for the dehydration setting, if you have one.
Blanching citrus before dehydrating helps preserve color, reduce bitterness, and speed up drying by breaking down cell walls. It also destroys enzymes that cause spoilage while killing surface bacteria. While optional, blanching enhances the overall quality and shelf life of dried limes and dried citrus in general.Why Blanch the Limes First?
š„ What to Make with Persian Dried Limes
These are two fantastic Persian dishes where the flavor of the dried limes really sing.
Author: Candice Walker
How to Make Persian Dried Limes ā Limoo Amani
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The unique, woody, earthy, and musky flavor of Persian dried limes (limoo amani) is used in Persian stews like khoresh gheymeh & ghormeh sabzi.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time4 days d
5 minutes mins
Total Time4 days d 10 minutes mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Persian
Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 12 limes (or more)
Equipment
Dehydrator or Oven
Ingredients
- 12 Persian limes or more*
Instructions
Blanch the limes in boiling water for 60 seconds. No more than 70 seconds, becuase you don't want to actually cook the limes in the hot water.
Add the limes to your prepared ice bath.
After at least 2 minutes in the ice bath, dry the limes using a dish towel.
Space out the limes directly on the rack of your oven or dehydrator.
Dry until dark brown and hollow, which takes up to 4 days in the dehydrator and up to 3 weeks in the right outside environment. See notes for more details.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for many months. If not fully dehydrated, they will not last as long.
Notes
* You can use as many limes as you want, as long as you can properly space them on the dehydrator or oven racks. The more you use, the longer it may take because there is more that needs to be dehydrated.
Do not leave the oven on when you are not around. I leave it on when I am sleeping, but donāt recommend that for safety reasons. Use your own judgment.
Placing the limes directly on the oven rack helps them dry evenly. You can even rotate them to encourage even drying.
You can dry the limes in the sun if you live in a warm, arid environment. They will not dry properly in a humid environment. Simply place them in the sun for 2+ weeks until completely dry and hard. Feel free to do a combination of sun-drying and oven/dehydrator drying. You can use residual heat after using the oven, or place them near a heat source in your house to reduce oven/dehydrator time, too.
Did you try this recipe?Iād love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
š„ More Essential Persian Ingredients
For curious cooks who love a challenge, try making these Persian ingredients from scratch.
