Dried limes

I've mentioned before the so called Mediterranean Market in my area. Run by Turkish immigrants it is now packed to the gills for Ramadan. The unusual products, trucked from importers in Chicago are a delight to curious western cooks. Awhile back a bag of dried limes leapt into my cart. I'm a sucker for things I never heard of or don't know how to use. Well, after reading Ottolenghi and others I am sold on using these orbs in soups and stews. https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/10/spi ... ried-limes. html://www.bonappetit.com/people/chefs/ ... ried-limes. There are lots of recipes online
My market has both the dark-smoked kind and the bright yellow- unsmoked. Headed there today to try the unsmoked. My Palestinian red lentil soup is a killer with the dried lime.

[Robin Garr]

Sounds delicious, Christina! I have to confess, though, that when I saw the title the first time I thought it said Dried Limas, and I was coming here to tell you how much I love Rancho Gordo.

I love Rancho Gordo as well ! They don't have red lentils but their black lentils are terrific. Dried limes add a whole new dimension to dried bean preparation.....even limas !

[Jenise]

I'm a sucker for things I never heard of or don't know how to use.

Ditto. Funny just last week someone had me kind of flabbergasted at the fact that she's never cooked swiss chard--sees it in the store all the time but doesn't know what to do with it. Then came the inevitable "My mother never made it." My response was that this was precisely why she should try it--it's always there, people buy it, what do they know that she doesn't? I can't imagine living my life within the confines of my childhood experience.

That said, I've never used dried limes, but I don't have a cool mediterranean market like you do. Today I'm checking out the Sikh convenience shop because I'll be in that end of town.

I can't imagine living my life within the confines of my childhood experience.

Lipton instant soup and Chef Boyardee ravioli in a can? Nein, nyet, non, na, ne, nix, nope!

I can't imagine living my life within the confines of my childhood experience.

I can't imagine living my life within the confines of my experiences up until now!

But maybe that's a personality thing 'Openness to experiences' and all...

[Jenise]

I so agree with you, Rahsaan. It's become a bit of a trope for me as I hear way too much "I wasn't raised on that" as a reason, or excuse, for not eating that item now. From a 20 year old I get it, from a 50 year old--not so much. As if all the rest of us only eat food we were raised on!

[Jenise]

So, trip to the Sikh convenience store: not much there. About five different types of dried dal, snacks, a few seasoning items in bags large enough to be more than I'll ever use, including everything I've used up until now, in my lifetime. I did buy a box of methi because I'm not happy with the grassy flavor of the last one I bought (from Amazon). Hope it's better. I also bought a small bottle of mustard oil, which I love and have run out of a local source of. Best potato salad ingredient ever. Also bought a small box of tandoori marsala with the most delicious instructions on the back which call for lightly pressure cooking some chicken, then slashing the skin and rubbing into this seasoning mixed with a few other things. Then: "Place the embalmed chicken on an oven tray...." !!!!

Indeed, the translations can be hilarious. The Med Market is so tiny but the merchandise has a quick turnover and is not static so when I go I spend far more time there simply reading labels for origin, ingredients and asking the clerks what and how to use. Many labels are not in English. If they can identify the script I can scan with my phone and get an idea.