I absolutely love all kinds of fruit, especially interesting and exotic fruits. Time to learn about one very crazy looking fruit, the Buddha’s Hand. In this article, I will tell you where the Buddhas Hand comes from and grows, its health benefits, how to eat it, and what it tastes like. If you love fruit and learning about new fruits, you have come to the right place.
Where does the Buddha’s Hand come from, and where does it grow?
Buddha’s Hand or Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis is a part of the citrus family, and it is a citron. The Buddhas Hand fruit or citron originated in South China and Northern India. It has been grown for centuries, although it is relatively new to places like the United States, being first introduced in the late 1800’s, but didn’t start commercial growing them until the 1980s.
In China, it is known as a symbol of happiness, longevity, and good fortune. It goes by several names: Buddha’s Hand, Fingered Citron, Bushukan, Fo Shou, Citrus Sarcodactylis, Buddha’s Hand Citron, and Finger Citrus.
Buddha’s Hand grows in many warm subtropical climates like China, Japan, California, and the Mediterranean. It also grows well in Arizona, Texas, Florida, etc.
The best growing zones for this fruit are 10 and 11, but it can be grown in zones 8-9 with some extra care. They don’t really tolerate frost that well and temperatures below freezing, so you would need heat lamps, or grow them in containers and move them somewhere warmer when the weather is cold.
Plant them in the same type of soil as other citrus, like oranges, lemons, grapefruit, etc. If you are growing those other things, most likely this will do well there, too.
What are the Nutritional and Health Benefits?
This fruit is very nutritious and packed with vitamins and minerals. It is also used in Chinese Medicine. Here are a few of the health facts:
- Aromatherapy – Rich in essential oils
- Digestive Support – Used in traditional medicine to ease nausea, reduce bloating, and support healthy digestion
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Immune support with vitamin C
- Cardiovascular health
How to Eat Buddha’s Hand
One thing that is very interesting about this fruit is that it does not have any pulp, juice, or seeds on the inside. It is just citrus peel on the outside and solid spongey white pith on the inside.
How do you eat it? Well, it is not normally eaten as is, although it certainly can be eaten whole, fresh. Normally, it will be used for its very aromatic zest, or used as an ornamental decoration in the house, which also gives off a very pleasant citrus aroma.
The culinary uses are as follows:
- Zest – The zest is used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Pretty much any recipe that calls for zest. It is pretty potent, so a little bit goes a long way.
- Candied Peel – The fruit is also candied. Follow this candied orange peel recipe, but use the Buddha’s hand instead, and use the whole fruit, just cut it into smaller pieces.
- Infusions – It is regularly used in alcoholic drinks to add flavor.
- Preserves – Marmalades and jams are made from Buddha’s hand.
- Tea and syrups – It is also used to make a healthy tea and citrus syrup.
- Used in savory dishes by adding the zest to salads, stir-fries, and seafood.
- Household cleaner – It is often infused with white vinegar to make an aromatic, non-toxic cleaner.
- As mentioned above, it is used for medicinal purposes as well.
What does Buddha’s Hand Taste Like?
As mentioned, it isn’t normally eaten by itself like other citrus; you certainly can eat it that way. At first glance and by smelling it you would think it was really sour and bitter, kinda like a lemon, but that is not the case.
It has a bright, mildly sweet, floral, citrus taste. The white spongey pith is the part that is mildly sweet, specifically after you chew it for a while. The scent is a sweet and intense lemon perfume. I absolutely love how it smells.
The taste kind of reminds me of a spongy, non-juicy, hiccama.
There you go, that is the Buddha’s Hand fruit. I hope you enjoyed learning about it. Let me know in the comments if you have seen it and tried it!
Check out my video of this fruit here!
