What is Kaffir lime?
{{Taxobox | name = ''Citrus x hystrix'' | image = Citrus hystrix fruit.jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = ''Citrus hystrix'' on sale | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]] | subclassis = [[Rosidae]] | ordo = [[Sapindales]] | familia = [[Rutaceae]] | genus = [[Citrus]] | species = '''''C. hystrix''''' | binomial = ''Citrus x hystrix'' | binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] }} The '''Kaffir lime''' (''Citrus hystrix ''DC., Rutaceae), also known as '''kieffer lime''', '''makrut''' or '''magrood''', is a [[citrus fruit]] native to [[Indonesia]]. It is widely grown worldwide as a garden shrub. It is usually grown for its [[fruit]], the [[lime]]. The leaves are used for cooking. [[Vegetable oil]] obtained from the leaves is used to make [[perfume]]s. ==The plant== The plant is a very [[Spine (botany)|thorny]] [[shrub|bush]] with aromatic leaves. The oil obtained from the [[rind]] of the fruit can be used as an [[insecticide]]. The plant is well suited to being grown in a container. The green fruits are different from other limes because of their bumpy and rough exterior. They are also quite small, about 4 centimetres across. The leaves are shaped like an [[hourglass]]. The leaves and the leaf-shaped [[Plant stem|stem]] are widely used in the [[cuisine]] of [[Cambodia]], [[Thailand]] and [[Laos]]. ''Citrus x hystrix'' leaves are also popular in [[Cambodia]] but less so in [[Vietnam]]. [[Cuisine of Malaysia|Malay]], [[Cuisine of Myanmar|Burmese]] and [[Cuisine of Indonesia|Indonesian]] (especially Balinese and Javanese; see also Indonesian [[bay leaf]]) cuisines use them sporadically with [[chicken]] and [[fish]]. The leaves can be used fresh or dried and can be stored frozen. Although the most common product of the ''Citrus x hystrix'' tree is its leaves (which give a sharp [[Lime]]/[[neroli]] flavour to Cambodian base paste known as Krueng, Thai dishes such as [[tom yum]] and Indonesian food such as [[sayur assam]] - literall