A herb with the flavour of lemon grass, lemon and lime, thyme and green tea. The leaves are thick and slightly leathery, rather like bay leaves. These are dried and ground to a powder which is added to fish or chicken dishes and some sweets. The advice is not to use it in dishes that cook over a long time, as a eucalyptus flavour emerges with long cooking and will overwhelm everything else.
In the kitchens of India lemons and limes seem to be interchangeable. Since the lime grows much more readily than the lemon in India this is more likely to be a lime.
A variety of lemon-shaped, yellow cooking apple which is thought to be English in origin but may have been introduced commercially from Normandy. Since the apple has been known since before1744, it is difficult to tell. It dries well. This late-season variety is harvested from early October in South-East England and is at its best from December to March.
A yellowish-brown, thin, translucent flatfish which is not a true sole, though it has the same blunted shape.
Large, lemon-shaped and lemon-coloured tomato variety. They grow on a plant shaped almost like a fir tree, with downward sweeping trusses which bear generous quantities of fruits.
Lemon verbena, with a delicate perfume, is used for flavouring puddings, rice and cream desserts and for making teas.
Lentils are lens-shaped pulses which grow in pods on a low plant. They are used in many soups and have the advantage of not needing to be soaked. They may be red or yellow, in which case they will be skinned; green, black or brown. In India the dhals are generally husked and split. The names usually also apply to the names of the dishes made with them.
