How to Zest a Lime
Wash the lime under cool, running water., Place your microplane above a cutting board at a 45-degree angle., Gently push the lime across the surface of the microplane., Rotate the lime to zest the rest of the fruit., Collect the zest and place it in...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Wash the lime under cool
Rub the limes gently with your fingers to remove grime or waxy substances, even if there is no visible dirt on the lime.
Pat dry with a clean towel to clean the lime further and make it easier to grip. -
Step 2: running water.
A microplane grater is a flat or curved metal kitchen tool with tiny, sharp holes across its surface.
It can be used to produce finely grated lime zest with little effort.
If you have a grater with several sizes of holes, use the smallest size.
It may or may not be a microplane, but can be used as a zester nonetheless. , Rest your lime on top of the microplane, near the base.
Push the lime gently across the blades.
This should shave the skin into a fine zest, which will fall onto the cutting board for you to collect.
Notice that the blades are angled in one direction.
Pushing the lime against the cutting edges of the blades will produce zest, while pushing it in the opposite direction will have no effect.The cutting edges of the blades should be facing up toward the ceiling.
If you are using a fine grater instead of a microplane, push as gently as possible to avoid digging into the bitter, white pith beneath the skin. , Zest the first area until the colored skin has been removed.
Once the white pith beneath the skin is revealed, rotate the lime to rub a new section of the colored skin over the microplane in the same way.
Be careful not to remove the bitter white pith beneath the skin. , Once the whole lime has been zested, or you have as much zest as you need, set aside the lime for later use.
Use a knife to scrape the zest off the cutting board and into a small bowl, or directly into the dish you are cooking as instructed by the recipe.
You don't need to spend the effort getting every last piece of zest out of the lime.
The ends of the lime may be difficult to zest, for instance. , If you allow the zest residue to dry in the tiny holes of the microplane, it can be difficult to clean out later.
Use running water to wash it out immediately, scrubbing with a thick-bristled brush.
Alternatively, try using no water at all and setting the microplane near a stove or on a sunny windowsill.
The heat may be enough to dry out the stuck pieces until they can be easily brushed off. -
Step 3: Place your microplane above a cutting board at a 45-degree angle.
-
Step 4: Gently push the lime across the surface of the microplane.
-
Step 5: Rotate the lime to zest the rest of the fruit.
-
Step 6: Collect the zest and place it in a small bowl.
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Step 7: Rinse the microplane immediately or leave it in a warm location to dry out.
Detailed Guide
Rub the limes gently with your fingers to remove grime or waxy substances, even if there is no visible dirt on the lime.
Pat dry with a clean towel to clean the lime further and make it easier to grip.
A microplane grater is a flat or curved metal kitchen tool with tiny, sharp holes across its surface.
It can be used to produce finely grated lime zest with little effort.
If you have a grater with several sizes of holes, use the smallest size.
It may or may not be a microplane, but can be used as a zester nonetheless. , Rest your lime on top of the microplane, near the base.
Push the lime gently across the blades.
This should shave the skin into a fine zest, which will fall onto the cutting board for you to collect.
Notice that the blades are angled in one direction.
Pushing the lime against the cutting edges of the blades will produce zest, while pushing it in the opposite direction will have no effect.The cutting edges of the blades should be facing up toward the ceiling.
If you are using a fine grater instead of a microplane, push as gently as possible to avoid digging into the bitter, white pith beneath the skin. , Zest the first area until the colored skin has been removed.
Once the white pith beneath the skin is revealed, rotate the lime to rub a new section of the colored skin over the microplane in the same way.
Be careful not to remove the bitter white pith beneath the skin. , Once the whole lime has been zested, or you have as much zest as you need, set aside the lime for later use.
Use a knife to scrape the zest off the cutting board and into a small bowl, or directly into the dish you are cooking as instructed by the recipe.
You don't need to spend the effort getting every last piece of zest out of the lime.
The ends of the lime may be difficult to zest, for instance. , If you allow the zest residue to dry in the tiny holes of the microplane, it can be difficult to clean out later.
Use running water to wash it out immediately, scrubbing with a thick-bristled brush.
Alternatively, try using no water at all and setting the microplane near a stove or on a sunny windowsill.
The heat may be enough to dry out the stuck pieces until they can be easily brushed off.
About the Author
George Long
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
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