Lumi

Lime is called a plant from the Citrus family, which is a close relative of lemon. The distinctive features of lime are its small size and much more acidic taste compared to the rest of citrus. Fresh lime has juicy green flesh and green or yellow rind, which depends on the variety.

The main value of lime is considered to be its rich fresh aroma and rich sour taste, which makes this product an important component in the national cuisines of Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam and Iran. Lime, like lemon, is great with meat dishes and still provides better iron absorption.

Zest, juice and lime oil are commonly used to flavour desserts and drinks. Figuratively carved lime zest often becomes the decoration of different cocktails. Nevertheless, it is believed that heat treatment for lime is contraindicated, which is due to the fact that the fruits lose most of the valuable vitamin C. However, it is in dried form that these fruits called lumi are included in a considerable amount of Iranian spice mixtures.

Lumi (loomi) is a fairly popular and sought-after condiment that is made from fresh lime fruit and is used for the most part in Middle Eastern cuisine. In the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, this seasoning is called lumi, and in Iran it is customary to call it amani.

The main culinary purpose of lumi is its use in making rice meals. So, a very small amount of lumey in powdered form can give the finished dishes a citrus aroma and a more saturated taste. In addition, thin fresh notes and a pleasant taste of lumi give dishes from meat and beans. With the addition of lumi, the sabzi gorme is often prepared, a dish that is a roast of beef with the addition of huge amounts of greens (spinach, parsley, spring onions and cilantro).

Outwardly, the lumi seasoning looks quite peculiar. Basically, whole lime fruits pretreated in a special way go on sale, although sometimes this flavor additive in the form of a powder can be purchased.

The very process of making lumies by manufacturers is kept in the strictest secret, but the essence of obtaining this seasoning is to pre-boil fresh lime fruits in salt solution, after which the fruits are dried for a long time. The result is lumey seasoning or dried lime fruits, which are characterized by dark, almost black flesh. The taste of the lumi is quite acidic, so in the absence of this seasoning, some culinary experts replace it with another additive called sumach.