By Katy Budge
With citrus season in full swing, keep your eyes peeled for Buddha’s Hands!
They’re pretty easy to spot. Just look for something with knobby, bright yellow “fingers” that indeed resemble a Buddha’s hand. Or something that seems more at home in a Guillermo Del Toro film or Hieronymus Bosch painting than at your local farmers’ market.
Like other citrons, these members of the citrus family have a thick outside rind. In particular, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis has no pulp, juice, or even seeds inside – just very bitter pith. Certainly not a fruit you’d pick to make lemonade, but you can use that very fragrant rind in a variety of ways.
Uses for Buddha’s Hand
Buddha’s Hand has been used for centuries in China and Japan just to impart its redolent scent to clothing, rooms, and body care products. It’s also a common gift for the Lunar New Year as a symbol of longevity, happiness, and good fortune.
Though the interior white pith is bitter – like other citrus – the rind of Buddha’s Hand is a tad sweeter than most so it lends itself well to recipes for candied fruit and marmalades. As you might expect, the zest of the rind works wonderfully in baking, salad dressings, and marinades.
So, how do I use Buddha’s Hand? I take the easy route – give it a quick rinse, and plop it in a glass jar full of vodka. (Any other neutral alcohol would work also.) In just a few weeks, I’m treated to a vibrantly colored spirit with an intense flavor of lemon rind and aromatic hints of floral and even lavender. It certainly spices things up in regular cocktail applications, and makes a great base for limoncello.
This year, I’m also going to extend the usefulness of my vodka-soaked Buddha’s Hand and stuff a roast chicken with it. Preserved lemons are already my go-to for this, so I’m guessing it should work. If nothing else, the chicken will enjoy a good dose of happy hour while it’s on the spit!
Update …
My Buddha’s Hand kept on giving! After I cut it open, I used half to make a delightful simple syrup with mint, rosemary, and black peppercorns.
The other half went inside a chicken that was bound for the rotisserie, and the bird turned out moist and delicious!
