Kaffir lime powder

In Which Dishes Can You Use Powdered Combava?

Explore the Flavors of Indonesia with Combava

Widely featured in Réunionese, Thai, and Malaysian cuisine, combava is a citrus fruit with a unique flavor that enhances even the simplest dishes.

How to Use Powdered Combava?

Our recipe ideas for using powdered combava in your cooking:

• Combava Broth: add 1 tablespoon of powdered combava to your broth;
• Réunionese Bouchons with Combava: add 1.5 teaspoons of powdered combava to your bouchon stuffing;
• Shrimp Stir-Fry: sprinkle 1 teaspoon of powdered combava over your shrimp during cooking;
• Yuzu Shortbreads: add 1.5 teaspoons of yuzu powder to your shortcrust pastry. You can shape it into biscuits or use it as a base for a strawberry tart;
• Combava Pork Skewers: add 1.5 teaspoons of powdered combava to your marinade along with olive oil and fresh coriander;
• Combava Biscuits: add half a teaspoon of powdered combava to your shortcrust pastry;

Discover new flavors and add an exotic touch to your dishes with powdered combava!

Scents and Aromas of Powdered Combava

Combava is a highly aromatic citrus fruit resembling a lime, but smaller and more acidic. That is why its peel and leaves, rich in essential oils, are used. The zest is dried and ground into a powder.

Its captivating fragrance, with notes of verbena, lemongrass, ginger, and coriander, is both penetrating and unique.

Its taste is intense and refreshingly incomparable, making it delicious on fish, white meats, and in broths.

Combava, the Hedgehog Lime

A Citrus that Enhances a Dish

Combava, or Citrus hystrix by its botanical name, is a charming little citrus fruit with bumpy skin. It was called the “hedgehog lime” by the botanist Augustin de Candolle, or even the combava lime of the Moluccas according to Pierre Poivre. It is also known as “Kaffir lime” in the southern Indian Ocean and, to complicate matters further, “Makrut” in Thailand.

This “false lime” belongs to the Rutaceae family, just like other citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, or grapefruit.

The shrub on which combava grows can reach up to 3 meters in height. This plant loves heat and does not tolerate cold. Its leaves are also used in cooking for their intense aroma, especially in broths and stuffings.

Combava Through History

Combava, or Cumbava, is native to Indonesia, in the archipelago of the Sunda Islands. It was introduced by Pierre Poivre in the late 18th century into the Indian Ocean. It owes its name to the island from which it originates: Sumbava.

The plantation where Terre Exotique's combava comes from enjoys exceptional conditions, as it is located along a great river in Madagascar: the Manantsatrana.