Makrut lime leaf vs lemon myrtle
Two intensely citrus leaves from opposite hemispheres, both far stronger than they look, and both largely destroyed by drying.
botanical
What is being compared
Point by point
| Aspect | Makrut lime leaf | Lemon myrtle |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A doubled hourglass-shaped citrus leaf from Southeast Asia. | The leaf of a Queensland rainforest tree, farmed only since the 1990s. |
| Aroma | Lime peel with a green bitterness, and unlike any lime juice. | Overwhelming clean lemon with a eucalyptus edge. |
| Strength | Two or three torn leaves flavour a pot. | Half a teaspoon is a large pot; the most concentrated lemon aroma in commerce. |
| Preparation | Torn or bruised, because the oil is on the leaf surface. | Cut and steeped; no preparation needed beyond measuring carefully. |
| Best form | Frozen. Dried keeps very little. | Dried, and drying temperature is the main quality variable. |
| Where it belongs | Thai and Indonesian curry pastes, soups and household infusions. | Australian cooking, baking and blends. |
| Naming | Its twentieth-century English name is a South African slur; careful usage says makrut. | Sometimes sold as 'lemon ironwood'; no naming problem. |
The short answer
Both are pinch-and-tear materials rather than spoon materials. Lemon myrtle is easier to buy in good condition; makrut lime leaf is worth seeking out frozen.
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