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SHAKE THE By: Marty Martindale |
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Count on it. Take an ancient, unevolved fruit, revive it, give it a contemporary, connection it to a well-known person, maybe add a touch of the ethereal, and it’s bound to summon curiosity. We’re talking about Buddha’s Hand, the redux of Fingered Citron, Buddha’s Fingers or Fragrant Citron. Not always reasonably priced, people in the Asia world ascribed an upbeat, positive quality to the hand. They felt it brought good luck, happiness, longevity and prosperity. Little wonder they placed one near cash registers. Buddha’s Hand looks like a vividly yellow, palmless human hand with far too many fingers, sometimes up to 20 gnarled fingers. Others describe Buddha’s Hand as a little like a large piece of bright yellow coral; still others say it looks like a bright yellow squid. What, do you do with it? Buddha’s Hand is a lemon-flavored fruit with no juicy pulp under its skin. Further, the Hand lacks a lemon’s bitter white pith, seeds and juice. It’s grown commercially for its fragrant zest on small three to five foot evergreen-like trees. Historically, Buddha’s Hand is considered one of the oldest citruses originating in the foothills of the Himalayas, of India about 320 C.E. As it arrived in China, they called it “foshou,” the Japanese named it “Bushukan.” Its connection with Buddhist monks is sketchy. Gradually it became one of the earliest citrus fruits known in Europe. Non-traditional medical practitioners offer pieces of the hand as a stimulant, an expectorant and general tonic. Others, particularly in Asia, used it as a showy room air conditioner. It also served as fragrant sachet in chests of drawers. Its leaves tend to repel moths. Citron never was used for other than medicinal purposes until around 75 BCE, when Pliny the Elder wrote of soaking strips of its rind in vinegar, fish sauce and other sauces. In the first-century Marcus Gabius Apicius, famed nobleman and gourmand, included notes on it in his first cookbook. These days, we are no longer limited to plain oranges, grapefruit and limes. Each has acquired some interesting cousins:
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From limes, Kaffir Limes We can find the yellow Hand in flamboyant produce markets. High in vitamin C, it contains little other nutrients. To buy a good one, choose a firm, blemish-free fruit with a sweet, clean fragrance. Store in plastic wrap in your refrigerator crisper drawer. One keeps about two weeks at room temperature, longer refrigerated. They are available from September to March. KITCHEN USES FOR BUDDHA’S HAND: The rind is very thick and grated into any recipe calling for lemon zest. Small strips of the rind is easily candied, or turned into homemade marmalade. Shave and sprinkle zest over fish, in salads, pilafs, relishes, casseroles, and soufflés. Sprinkle in homemade quick breads and biscotti. Add to sauces, salsas, compotes and smoothies. Use in sorbets, sherbets, desserts, puddings, confections, custards, cookies, cakes and other baked goods. Use it to liqueurs, vermouth and vodka.
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