Drying Limes to Make Noomi Basra Chai

5 from 19 votes

Dried Black Limes and their many uses, including how to make lime tea.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Servings: serving

Calories: 10kcal

Slice limes (and/or lemons) using a mandolin, which gives you thin, even slices. You'll want the slices approximately ¼" thick.
Arrange the citrus slices on dehydrator trays leaving room for air circulation. Set the dehydrator temperature to the fruit drying setting, which should be around 135 degrees F.
Dehydrate the lime/lemon slices until they turn a dark brownish-black color. Drying time may vary depending on the dehydrator you use, the size of the limes, and how juicy or dry the fruit is. For this reason, you'll want to set a timer and start checking them at around the 10-hour mark.

To make one cup of Noomi Basra Tea, add 3 slices of dried limes to a teacup. Cover with boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes.
The lime slices will disintegrate in the boiling water so you will have to strain the tea before drinking it.
Add honey, sugar, or sweetener of choice. If the tea is too strong, more hot water can be added to dilute it.

If you want to have some dehydrated lime slices to use in cocktails and such, you can pull some of the slices earlier before they begin to turn dark. However, you want to make sure the limes are not tacky in any way so that they don't mold while being stored.
Dried limes can also be used in marinades and lend a delicious flavor when used to marinate chicken or fish. Grind the dried limes into a powder before adding them to the marinade.
Do not try to rush the drying process by using higher temperatures to dehydrate the limes. Doing so will dry the outside of the fruit, trapping moisture inside. This will eventually lead to the fruit spoiling.