Black lime is also known as Persian Black Lime (noomi basra in Iraq)  or (limoo amani  in Iran)  or  (loomi in Oman) and  is a lime from which all fluid content has been evaporated having been dried for long periods of time in direct sunshine.

Traditional Uses for Black Lime:-

They are used whole, sliced or ground, as a spice ingredient in Mddle Eastern cuisine and originated in the Persian Gulf hence its name.

Dried limes are used to add a sour aspect and flavour to dishes in a similar fashion to Mango powder (Amchoor) or Tamarind, through a process known as souring.

In Middle Eastern cuisine and esecially in Iran and Oman Black Lime is used to flavour soups and broths as well as stews.

Across the whole Persian Gulf, they are used in cooking with fish, whereas in Iraq they are added to almost all dishes and stuffings.

They can be made into a warm beverage called Hamidh (simply meaning sour).

Powdered Black Lime Powder is also used as an ingredient throughout the Gulf region in spice blends like Baharat (also called Kabsa or Kebsa). It is a traditional ingredient of Arabic and Persian cooking.

Black limes are very concentrated and strongly flavoured. They taste sour and with a concentrated citrus flavour as you would expect from a lime but they also have an earthy or smoky sub note to their flavour and definitely lack any sweetness. Because they are preserved they also have a slightly bitter and fermented flavour but the bitter accents are mainly concentrated in the lime’s outer skin and seeds.