Barriehie
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I've been reading up and many sources suggest using Makrut over kaffir as the latter is considered a racial insult.
Kaffir or Makrut Lime Leaves
- Thread starter Barriehie
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Kaffir is from Arabic, and means "unbeliever" or "infidel", ie. someone who is not Muslim.
Lemons/limes probably originated in south east Asia,(maybe in North India) but are known to have been cultivated in Persia (now Iran) in the 7th century BC. The Arabic (or perhaps, Persian) word is limun, so "lemon" and "lime"are, most probably, English transliterations, like the word kedgeree, transliterated from kitchari, in Sanskrit.
Lemons and limes have a fairly smooth skin, whereas the Thai lime is knobbly . In Thai, it's called makrut.
I can only imagine that, when these knobbly limes came to the middle east (and perhaps further west), they might well have been considered "infidels", because they weren't smooth, like the local variety.
Lemons/limes probably originated in south east Asia,(maybe in North India) but are known to have been cultivated in Persia (now Iran) in the 7th century BC. The Arabic (or perhaps, Persian) word is limun, so "lemon" and "lime"are, most probably, English transliterations, like the word kedgeree, transliterated from kitchari, in Sanskrit.
Lemons and limes have a fairly smooth skin, whereas the Thai lime is knobbly . In Thai, it's called makrut.
I can only imagine that, when these knobbly limes came to the middle east (and perhaps further west), they might well have been considered "infidels", because they weren't smooth, like the local variety.
badjak
Forum GOD!
If you look back, it all seems to originate to Jamie Oliver....(On behalve of people that are not offended by it).
They are called kaffir limes here.
I got called out on an other forum, therefor I use whatever name people want me to use
I know them as (daun) juruk purut, the Malay name which is used in the Netherlands.
In Thailand they are Makrut limes, so whatever floats your boat
They are called kaffir limes here.
I got called out on an other forum, therefor I use whatever name people want me to use
I know them as (daun) juruk purut, the Malay name which is used in the Netherlands.
In Thailand they are Makrut limes, so whatever floats your boat
Racial Slur (Southern Africa)
In South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, "kaffir" (often spelled kaffer) is a highly offensive racial slur used against Black African people. Originating as an epithet during the Apartheid era, it is legally recognized as a hate speech term equivalent to the "n-word" in the US. [1, 2, 3, 4]
In South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, "kaffir" (often spelled kaffer) is a highly offensive racial slur used against Black African people. Originating as an epithet during the Apartheid era, it is legally recognized as a hate speech term equivalent to the "n-word" in the US. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The transition of the ingredient's name from "kaffir" to "makrut" (sometimes referred to as makfhut/makrut) gained major traction in 2021. [1]
- The Shift: In June 2021, UK supermarket chain Waitrose announced it was changing the name of its "Kaffir lime leaves" to Makrut lime leaves. [1]
- The Reason: The word "kaffir" is deeply tied to the history of apartheid and is considered a severe, anti-black racial slur in South Africa. Following complaints, major retailers and food writers began swapping the term for its native Thai name. [1, 2, 3]
- Botanical Updates: The move to erase the term extended to the scientific community as well. In July 2024, the International Botanical Congress voted to officially change hundreds of plant names, including those using kaffir-related terminology. [1]
They're called Kaffir limes and leaves here.
I don't know if any of the market vendors or customers are aware of the connotations of the name, but the campaign to have that changed hasn't reached here yet.
I don't know if any of the market vendors or customers are aware of the connotations of the name, but the campaign to have that changed hasn't reached here yet.