I don't have a Kaffer and off topic, I often wondered how do you use the leaves for cooking? It was often said Thai uses them extensively for their cooking but in what way?
I've eaten in Thai restaurant but I am not sure if I detect any Kaffer in them. But their soup are delicious.

bencelest,

The leaves are sliced very thin, like a fine julienne cut, and added to all kinds of Thai dishes - curries, stews, soups, marinades, etc. Just de-vein the leaves, before slicing. The combination of Kaffir leaves and lemon grass are what give Thai cooking that fresh citrus flavor.

If you google the words 'Kaffir' and 'recipe' you will get over 100,000 hits. I just cut and paste what I like into a running Word document.

As an example, here's a recipe from the FourWindsGrowers website:

Kaffir Lime Aioli
This tangy, full-flavored aioli draws its unique flavor from the edible leaf of the Kaffir lime tree and goes wonderfully with steak and shrimp. Use sparingly, as its flavor is wonderfully intense.
Small lemon, preferably Meyer
5 TBS mayonnaise
4 small-to-medium Kaffir lime leaves, 'de-veined'
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2-3 gloves garlic, to taste
In a standard blender, squeeze 2-3 TSP of fresh lemon juice. Take the Kaffir lime leaves and cut the center vein from each leaf; discard veins. Put the leaves themselves into the blender with the lemon juice. Add the mayo and blend thoroughly, until no large leaf pieces remain. Add the remaining ingredients and blend to combine. Adjust salt, garlic, etc. before removing from blender.
Pass through a fine strainer -- you may need to use a spatula to move the mixture around, since the leaf pieces will collect at the bottom -- and serve.

Here's one of my favorites:

Hot & Sour Soup (Good for Colds & Flu)

2-4 servings
Time to make 17 min with 7 min prep

2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 chilies, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely sliced lemongrass
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 liter (1 quart) chicken stock
2 fresh lime leaves, shredded finely
300g (10-12 oz) chicken breasts, cut into strips (or prepared green prawns)
200g (7 oz.)baby spinach (or use your favourite green vegetable)
1 red capsicum, seeded and sliced finely
2 tablespoons lime juice (or lemon)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
250g (9 oz.)silken tofu, cut into cubes (optional)

1. Heat sesame oil and cook chilli, ginger and lemon grass for a couple of minutes over a gentle heat.
2. Add garlic, stock and lime leaves and bring to the boil.
3. Add chicken breast (or prawns), spinach and capsicum and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
4. To serve: Stir in lime juice, fish sauce and tofu (if used) and serve at once.

Here's another favorite (Somebody stop me)

Tom Yum Kung

3 servings
time to make 20 min with 10 min prep

3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 stalk lemongrass, sliced thinly (tough outer leaves and bulb removed)
1 1/2 teaspoons galanga powder (Thai ginger, but I use regular, powdered ginger)
3 kaffir lime leaf, thinly sliced (or one large strip of lime peel)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 small chili pepper, de-seeded and sliced (as hot as you like or mild)
1 medium bell pepper, sliced (any color)
1/3 cup cilantro
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly (or any small mushroom)
12 large raw shrimp, shells removed (or substite 1/2 pound chicken)
1 (11 ounce) can coconut milk

1. Pour stock and lime juice into a deep cooking pot.
2. Place lemongrass in a food processor and process until finely grated. Add to pot. The bulb can be thrown into the pot for additional flavor (remove before serving).
3. Add the galanga powder to the pot.
4. Add garlic, chilies, peppers, and Kaffir leaves (or lime peel). Bring to a mild boil.
5. Add the mushrooms and shrimp. Gently simmer 'til shrimp is pink.
6. Turn down the heat to low then add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Taste to adjust seasonings, adding more chilies and/or fish sauce (instead of salt) as desired.
7. Serve in bowls with cilantro sprinkled over. And on the side, steamed jasmine rice and quarters of fresh lime.

The link below gives you 138 recipes. This should be enough to get you started.

narcnh

Here is a link that might be useful: 138 Kaffir Lime Recipes

I'd agree that the Kaffir limes take about 6-9 months to ripen. They are a smallish fruit for me (bigger than Key, smaller than a small Persian/Bearss lime), juicy, mostly green when they fall from tree, lumpy, and they sometimes have viable seeds inside but a large portion are aborted. I frankly do not care for the fruit and think that the lovely fragrance in the leaves is overpronouced and harsh in the fruit. I like to cook with the leaves but would not do so with the fruit. Tossed 'em.

The leaves can be used like a bay leaf too--no need to mince, though I tend to bruise them first.

HTH.

I also grow Kaffir limes just to have the leaves for Thai recepies. I tried using the zest from the fruit as a substitute, not a good idea. lol Stick to using the leaves.
Karyn

Narcnh:
Your recipe convinced me to buy a Kaffer plant for its leaves.
I'd do that as soon as possible.
Now I will have a brand new cooking imagination ahead of me.
Thanks for the info.

Benny

Benny,

You have provided so many beautiful pictures of your trees and so much advice, I am happy to return some small amount of useful information in return.

Happy cooking!

Bill

Bill:
Like they said in Thailandese:
" De nada!"
Er, I mean Mexican.
Or in Japanese " Doma aregato gosi masu."

Benny