The first time I saw one of these I was mesmerized. A genetic mutant? A lemon gone bad?
It’s a Buddha’s Hand Citron (although this is a quite stubby one – they usually have long “fingers” that reach up into the sky, like a cupped hand reaching to the heavens, ready to catch rainwater in its palm). Last year I bought one and let it rest on my counter, filling the entire kitchen and house with its unbelievable citrus scents, a natural potpourri of lemony-limeyness. It eventually rotted, and I threw it out, never having used it in any dishes.
However, the fruit can be used as lemon rind would be, and you can use the pith as well, as it’s not as bitter as a regular lemon’s.
Tonight, I minced a slight slice (about two tablespoons) and mixed it with some other ingredients to make a sort of raita: half Greek yogurt, half sour cream (full fat, both), two tablespoons crumbled Bulgarian feta, two cloves crushed garlic, a teaspoon of minced red onion, two tablespoons minced cucumber, a teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley that I had frozen from the garden, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. I served it with a salad of Tokyo bekana (an Asian green from Smallwood’s Veggieporium), sliced red onion and avocado, quinoa and a spicy Hungarian lamb sausage made by Lothar Erbe, a master artisan butcher from Germany who uses local ingredients whenever possible. Lothar sells at the Smart Market in Purcellville, VA, on Saturdays, entertaining everyone with his “Hanz and Franz” accent and pleasing those who purchase his meats. This variety is a lamb bratwurst that is called (phonetically) “chibopchichi.” It is one of my favorites.
The Buddha’s Hand, which likely originated in Northeastern India or China, can also be sliced and used on salads or inserted under the skin of a roaster chicken. In season in the U.S. from November through January, the fruit in other areas of the world often is given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples. I have been a student of Buddhism for the past three years, therefore I know that food is diminished in light of nourishing your soul through meditation, in hopes of finding inner strength and enlightenment. However, searching for these qualities in sources provided by Mother Nature has to be in line with these beliefs. Expand your horizons and try something new. You might just discover that peace can be found in the most unpredictable of places.















































