lime
Also known as: limes
A sour, green citrus fruit, generally more tart and aromatic than lemon; used for its juice and zest, especially in Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Caribbean cooking.
Buying guidance
Choose limes that feel heavy for their size with smooth, glossy skin -- a light, hard, or dry-feeling lime yields noticeably less juice than a heavy one of the same size. Limes past their prime develop shriveled, dull skin and can taste bitter instead of bright.
Substitutions
- Lemon -- similar acidity with a milder, rounder aroma; a reasonable substitute in most uses.
- Bottled lime juice, for the juice only -- flatter flavor than fresh and provides no zest.
- Rice vinegar, for acidity in Southeast Asian dishes -- lacks citrus aroma; use less, since it's sharper.
Tips & common mistakes
Rolling a lime firmly on the counter or warming it briefly before cutting breaks down the internal membranes and noticeably increases the juice yield compared to squeezing it cold. Its skin is thinner than a lemon's, so when zesting, use light pressure -- it's easy to scrape into the bitter white pith by accident.
Storage
Limes turn from green to yellow and lose some of their sharp tartness and aroma as they ripen further in storage; refrigerating slows this and keeps them from drying out and going hollow inside, which happens faster with limes than with lemons.