Dried lime

Dried lime, also known as: black lime;^[1] noomi basra (Iraq);^[2] limoo amani (Iran); and loomi (Oman),^[3] is a lime that has lost its water content, usually after having spent a majority of its drying time in the sun. They are used whole, sliced, or ground, as a spice in Middle Eastern dishes. Originating in the Persian Gulf^[4][5] – hence the Iranian name limoo amani and the Iraqi name noomi basra ("lemon from Basra") – dried limes are popular in cookery across the Middle East.

Dried lime

Whole loomi for sale in market in Manama, Bahrain
Type	Dried food
Place of origin	Oman, Iraq and Iran
Region or state	Middle East
Associated cuisine	Middle Eastern cuisine
Media: Dried lime

Dried, ground black Persian limes

Uses

Dried limes are used to add a sour depth and flavor to dishes, through a process known as souring.^[6] In Persian cuisine, they are used to flavor stews and soups.^[7] Across the Middle East, they are used with fish, whereas in Iraq, they are added to almost all dishes and forms of stuffing.^[3] They can also be used to make dried lime tea. Powdered dried lime is also used as an ingredient in Middle Eastern-style baharat (a spice mixture). It is a traditional ingredient in the cuisines of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other countries of the Persian Gulf.

Flavor

Dried limes are strongly flavored. They taste sour and citrusy like fresh limes, but have an added earthy and somewhat smoky taste and lack the sweetness of fresh limes. Because they are preserved, they also have a slightly bitter, fermented flavor, but the bitter accents are mainly concentrated in the lime's outer skin and seeds.

Tea

Dried lime tea is a type of herbal tea made from dried limes and is a popular beverage in Iraq where it is used to aid indigestion, diarrhea, and nausea.

See also

• List of dried foods
• Food portal