Buddha’s Hand

Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by grace in Ingredients, Lunar New Year

A part of the citrus family, Buddha’s hand gets its name from its resemblance to a hand with long fingers. These fingers are cut off, sliced, and then peeled for cooking. Buddha’s hand is either acidic or sweet and is used for marmalade, or as a replacement for lemon zest in salad dressings, fish and rice dishes. Its aromatic thick peel is used to flavor lemon liqueurs and specialty vodkas. The fruit is also candied as a dessert. Apart from its lemon- like taste, it is also esteemed for its aroma, and is especially used by the Chinese and Japanese as a natural air freshener. Many also present the fruit as a religious offering and use them at New Year’s for good fortune. When ripe, the fruit keeps for around two weeks at normal room temperature.